The Philadelphia Eagles weren't afraid to make moves at the trade deadline, which isn't a surprise when general manager Howie Roseman is at the helm.
The Eagles were able to acquire cornerback Michael Carter II from the New York Jets to bolster the secondary, but also added Jaelan Phillips by sending out a 2026 third-round pick to the Miami Dolphins. That was a move that the defensive line desperately needed, and one of the biggest winners of this deal is edge Nolan Smith.
Nolan Smith Is Big Winner from Jaelan Phillips Eagles Trade
Smith suffered a triceps injury in late September that forced him to miss the last five games, but according to The Athletic's Zach Berman, Philadelphia opened up Smith's practice window on Tuesday. He will practice this week and has a chance to play on Monday Night Football against the Green Bay Packers.
This is a positive development for the Eagles' defense, as they are set to get one of their better pass rushers back. It'll take some time to get back up to speed, but having Phillips on the other side is massive for the Georgia product.
With another athletic pass rusher on the defensive front, it'll take away attention from Smith. With Phillips and Jalen Carter on the defensive line, it will open up more one-on-one chances for Smith to take advantage of.
Prior to making the deal for Phillips, Smith was easily the best edge rusher for Philadelphia. Teams would have put more attention on Smith to slow him down, but now they can't make that decision as easily.
Teams will have to pick who they double-team. They can't do it to everyone, which means Smith, Carter, and Phillips will all see some one-on-ones going forward.
One of the biggest advantages Smith has is his speed around the corner. With a perfectly timed first step, he can blow past offensive linemen and get after the quarterback. Last season, Smith turned it up a notch during the second half of the season. In his last 15 games in 2024, which included the postseason, he had 10.5 sacks. Four of those came in the playoffs, showing his ability to show up when needed the most.
He'll get a chance to do so again in 2025, and that is massive for him and the Eagles' sake. The more productive Smith can be, his price tag on a potential extension will only increase, while also making this defense a better unit.
This deal is a win on all sides for Philadelphia but Smith appears to be a huge winner of this deal.