NFL Free agency officially gets underway on March 11, so the Eagles don’t have a ton of time to bring back and re-sign some important players from their 2025 roster. One of those pending free agents is edge rusher Jaelan Phillips.
Phillips was a trade acquisition by the Eagles from the Dolphins just ahead of the deadline. He was instantly impactful, and seemed to blend seamlessly with the rest of the defense. He’s considered a top five free agent by some rankings, which means his asking price is going up, and while he’s continued to express his appreciation for the opportunity Philadelphia gave him last season, he is looking for the best situation for him and his growing family.
Howie Roseman spoke to reporters ahead of the NFL Combine and talked about Phillips as a player and what he was able to see from the linebacker during his time in Philly.
“Unbelievable worker, unbelievable leader, incredibly talented player who cares desperately about winning.”
The Eagles GM went on to explain that spending a third round pick for Phillips doesn’t really factor in to how they’ll handle the next move. Howie quipped that he would trade a third round pick for a playoff game any day, and the move was worth it for the one season regardless of whether he comes back.
“From my perspective, that gave us a shot on the arm. The defense obviously played really well throughout the course of the season and took another step when [Jaelan Phillips] was here. And we understood, and we understood the risk of that. We also understood why the Dolphins were doing it, you know, and getting the third round pick now. But, you know, for us, we understood also, here’s the worst case situation, you know, which is he’s going to be a free agent. If he leaves a free agent, you would have to not sign somebody to get the comp pick for next year, understanding that. And also, the hardest part about free agency is understanding who the player is, because you don’t live with that person and getting the chance to be with him and see who he was, obviously, to us, is even more additive.”
Roseman was asked if Phillips’ medical history would factor into their decision to try and retain the linebacker, and he said that when evaluating any player, they always factor in medical, level of play, age, and scheme fit. All of those things are part of the decision making regardless of any one player’s specific history.
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