The Philadelphia Eagles are going to stay busy during the offseason and try to get the roster in the right place for what looks to be a crucial 2026 season.
After giving defensive tackle Jordan Davis a historic contract extension, all eyes are now on edge rusher Jaelan Phillips and whether the Eagles can get his contract done before he hits the free agency market. ESPN NFL reporter Jeremy Fowler shared that while the Eagles weren't 100% in the Maxx Crosby sweepstakes, they are looking for an edge rusher and already have a backup plan if it doesn't work out for Phillips.
"People inside the league believe Philly is attempting to re-sign Phillips to a deal that would pay him well above $20 million per year. But Phillips will have a strong market if he chooses to enter free agency.
As a contingency, the Eagles are believed to have inquired about Minnesota's Jonathan Greenard. The Vikings have received many inquiries on Greenard, who will be far cheaper to acquire than Crosby. A Day 2 pick probably gets a deal done. But complicating matters is Greenard's contract. Teams say he wants a new deal. His current contract is set to pay him $38 million over the next two years. Mafe is also considered a viable edge option if the Phillips deal doesn't materialize."
Would Jonathan Greenard be a good backup plan for the Eagles?
One of the appeals in trading for Greenard is that if he is just worth a Day 2 pick, that would be a steal for the Eagles and a good deal to take. Last season, Greenard racked up 38 tackles, 12 quarterback hits, 10 tackles for loss, three sacks, three pass deflections, and one forced fumble in 12 games.
The number from last year might not be great, but Greenard is a solid pass rusher who was in the Pro Bowl back in 2024. He has produced 27.5 sacks in the last three seasons, with two of those years having at least 12 sacks.
Greenard's contract is the bigger concern, as the Eagles will have to work on it with him. Anyway that they can restructure it to create cap space, which will have to be done.
Phillips should be the first option for sure, as he is a great fit for Eagles defensive coordinator Vic Fangio's defense. The thought that he is going to command over $20 million a year is a scary thought for someone who has had injury concerns, but his impact on the defense last season is too good to pass up on.
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Philly learned their lesson last year by not adding an elite edge rusher in the offseason. Phillips or Greenard should be the options the Eagles get aggressive in pursuing for the 2026 season.