There have been two constant storylines in 2025 for the Philadelphia Eagles: Is the offense ever going to find consistency, and how is Howie Roseman going to manage the cap with all the pending free agents?
While the Eagles haven't announced solutions to either problem, the play of Jaelan Phillips since arriving from Miami has made the Eagles' 2025-26 offseason a bit more difficult.
A year removed from finding the "gem of free agency" in Zack Baun, Roseman's responsibilities now shift to re-signing Phillips, as CBS Sports' Joel Corry believes he's due a contract similar to Josh Sweat's: four years, $19.1 million per year, $41 million guaranteed.
Eagles might have to cough up big money to bring back Jaelan Phillips
After dealing with injuries for two straight years, Phillips has managed to stay healthy in every game this season, which, going into a contract year, was his main point of concern regarding his future. Phillips has appeared in 17 games this year and will be a "healthy scratch" for week 18 due to the Eagles resting their starters.
Joining the Eagles for a 2026 third-round pick at the trade deadline from the Miami Dolphins, the Eagles hoped that reuniting Phillips with his 2023 defensive coordinator, Vic Fangio, would fill the void left by the loss of Josh Sweat and Bryce Huff in free agency.
While Phillips hasn't blown up the stat sheet from a sack perspective, his 41 quarterback pressures rank him tied for fourth with Myles Garrett since Week 10, when Phillips joined the Eagles. As an overall unit, Phillips has transformed the Eagles' defense (especially the front seven), allowing a league-low 14.5 points a game, while also "jolting" their pass rush, as the unit now has 25 in eight games compared to 17 for their first eight games of the season.
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With Phillips' statistical output, combined with the elevated play of the Eagles' defense since his arrival, the former first-round pick is certainly due a payday coming into the 2025-26 offseason. With Sweat earning the top contract for EDGE rushers during the 2024-25 offseason, Phillips should be in line to match or surpass the deal when the time comes.