The Philadelphia Eagles just seem to want it more than any other team, and their trade for Miami Dolphins edge defender Jaelan Phillips is the latest proof of that from GM Howie Roseman.
One could argue that trading a third-round pick for a player on an expiring contract is a foolish move. Come to find out that Roseman convinced interim Dolphins GM Champ Kelly to pay for a portion of Phillips' remaining salary as a premium for the Day 2 draft capital.
This is the type of proactive, aggressive move by a front office that most other fan bases fantasize about. Roseman actually pulls such transactions off time and again.
Let's dive deeper into what the trade means, and why Roseman is indeed a mad genius for executing it.
Eagles' Super Bowl hopes receive huge lift with bold-but-savvy Jaelan Phillips trade
Although the Eagles were off on a Week 9 bye, Howie Roseman wasn't going to let the idle time slow down his typical wheeling and dealing.
Roseman recognized that he was in a unique position to sacrifice more than most other teams could. ESPN's Jordan Reid underscored that point very well.
After acquiring Jaelan Phillips, the #Eagles are still projected to have eight draft picks in 2026 (1,2,3,3,4,4,5,5) – that includes potentially receiving three total compensatory picks for Milton Williams (3rd), Josh Sweat (4th) and Mekhi Becton (5th).
— Jordan Reid (@Jordan_Reid) November 3, 2025
Rather than sitting on his hands, hoping that Philadelphia's current personnel and Brandon Graham's unretirement could ignite a pass rush that has only 16 sacks through eight games, Howie did what Howie does.
Speaking of compensatory picks, if Phillips happens to walk in free agency, he could net the Iggles a 2027 comp pick as well. That makes this trade even more logical and less audacious than it may seem at first glance.
As of this writing, Phillips ranks as PFF's 15th-best pass rusher among edge defenders. That's despite the fact that he tore his Achilles in 2023 and is coming off a torn ACL from last season, where he was limited to only four games.
Phillips' extensive injury history and the risk that he could leave the team in the offseason were baked into Roseman's exotic gridiron calculus. The bottom line is that he seems to be playing 4D chess, while most of his contemporaries are playing checkers. That's a significant reason why he's helped the Eagles win two Super Bowls during his tenure.
There's also a familiarity factor to this deal, as Eagles defensive coordinator Vic Fangio coached Phillips in Miami during the aforementioned 2023 campaign. Fangio evidently believes in Phillips, despite the major injuries he has sustained recently, and Phillips' understanding of the complex scheme should expedite his ability to make an impact in an Eagles uniform.
Despite Philadelphia's lackluster pass rush to date, Fangio's defense ranks third in completion percentage allowed (59.3%) and fourth in opponent passer rating (81.5). The addition of Phillips should only help the cause for such a stellar unit.
Roseman bolstered the secondary recently by trading for cornerback Michael Carter II. Then came yet another cornerback trade for Philly-born Pro Bowler Jaire Alexander. That added depth to the defensive backfield should also aid Phillips' bid to contribute early and often.
Read more: Jaelan Phillips trade leaves Vic Fangio with a brutal decision about Josh Uche
So yeah. For a wide variety of reasons stated here, Howie Roseman's latest all-in masterclass for a Lombardi Trophy should leave the rest of the league quite fearful indeed.