There was so much confidence that the Philadelphia Eagles were going to be able to re-sign edge rusher Jaelan Phillips. That is no longer the case.
In a worst nightmare scenario, ESPN NFL insider Adam Schefter reported that Phillips has agreed to a four-year, $120 million deal with the Carolina Panthers. That would put Phillips as one of the top eight highest-paid edge rushers in the NFL with that deal.
Phillips racked up 53 tackles, 14 quarterback hits, seven tackles for loss, five sacks, four pass deflections, two fumble recoveries, and one forced fumble in 17 games with the Miami Dolphins and Eagles. He was ninth in the NFL in pressures with 73 and fifth in hurries with 57.
Jaelan Phillips not coming back to Eagles after half a season
All the signs seem to point that the Eagles were heading in the right direction with Phillips and that he would be back. Eagles fans are now left wondering what happened between Phillips and general manager Howie Roseman.
The $30 milllion per year deal he got would have been way too expensive for the Eagles to handle with many other players to re-sign and bring back. Jordan Davis landed a contract extension and Jalen Carter is expected to be next with Quinyon Mitchell and Cooper DeJean on deck in the next year or two.
This now leaves the Eagles with the option to make a call to the Minnesota Vikings about Jonathan Greenard. ESPN NFL reporter Jeremy Fowler shared over the weekend that the Eagles had called about Greenard as an option in a trade to.
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The move is a surprise that the Eagles were not able to land Phillips and now Roseman is left scrambing to find another option.