What Jaelan Phillips Adds To Eagles Right Away

There have been rumors out there for a few weeks about the Philadelphia Eagles' pursuit of a new pass rusher and they reportedly got their wish on Monday morning.

Philadelphia reportedly is acquiring former Miami Dolphins edge rusher Jaelan Phillips in exchange for a third-round pick, confirmed by Eagles on SI's Ed Kracz and John McMullen.

Phillips' name has been thrown around a lot over the last couple of days. The rumor mill picked up even more after it was announced that the Dolphins and former general manager Chris Grier were parting ways.

The Eagles are getting a piece that can help them win now

Oct 26, 2025; Atlanta, Georgia, USA; Atlanta Falcons quarterback Kirk Cousins (18) passes under pressure from Miami Dolphins linebacker Jaelan Phillips (15) during the first quarter at Mercedes-Benz Stadium. Mandatory Credit: Dale Zanine-Imagn Images | Dale Zanine-Imagn Images

Now, the Eagles have someone who arguably can impact the pass rush right from the jump. Phillips is just 26 years old and is in his fifth season in the NFL. He had 8 1/2 sacks as a rookie in 2021 and then racked up seven more sacks in 2022. Injuries took a toll on Phillips after that, with just 12 total games played in 2023 and 2024 after starting all 17 games in 2021 and 2022.

This season, he has been healthy, though. That's what should excite Eagles fans right now. He has three sacks in nine games and 32 pressures. He actually is ranked 11th in the NFL right now in pressures out of 120 qualified edge rushers, per Pro Football Focus.

The Eagles are getting a young guy with significant upside. The move itself makes almost too much sense, which is why there were rumors and speculation about the possibility of Phillips coming to town over the last week or so. The Eagles have clearly needed a rusher, the Dolphins have been spiraling despite a few high-end guys on that defense. The move just makes too much sense.

On top of this, NFL Network's Ian Rapoport reported that the Dolphins are eating some of Phillips' salary in the deal.

"The Dolphins are paying a portion of Jaelan Phillips’ salary to facilitate the trade, source said, taking on money for a better pick," Rapoport said.

Philadelphia has just 16 total sacks on the season -- which is in the bottom-third of the league -- but now it is getting someone who can help fix that. Even though he's going to be a free agent after the season, the Eagles have a surplus of draft picks and just gave up a third-round pick. If it solves an issue in the present, giving away that pick won't matter in the future.

Plus, ESPN's Field Yates said that Phillips will count towards the Eagles' compensatory formula, meaning if he walks for nothing in the offseason, Philadelphia could get a pick back.

"Yes, Jaelen Phillips will count towards the compensatory formula for the Eagles," Yates said. "If this turns out to be just a rental, Phillips could fetch Philly a 2027 compensatory pick."

A no-lose scenario.

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