The Philadelphia Eagles made a big move on Monday when they traded a 2026 third-round pick to the Miami Dolphins for Jaelan Phillips. The Eagles are gearing up for their second-half push and, at the time, had swung one of the biggest deals of deadline week. Just one day later, though, the NFL world was set abuzz by an AFC team looking to knock the defending champions off their pedestal.
In a truly shocking move, the New York Jets have traded CB Sauce Gardner to the Indianapolis Colts for two first-round picks and WR AD Mitchell, according to ESPN's Adam Schefter. Just hours after Philadelphia pulled off a massive trade, its deal is now overshadowed by this blockbuster.
Eagles Trade for Jaelan Phillips Outdone by Blockbuster Before Deadline
Back on Oct. 29, the Jets also traded cornerback Michael Carter II to the Eagles, and they continued to move off players in their secondary. Trading Gardner comes as a massive surprise, though, as New York had inked him to a four-year, $120.4 million extension this summer, making him the highest-paid cornerback in the league.
Through four seasons, Gardner was a two-time All-Pro and Pro Bowl selection, quickly establishing himself as one of the top CBs in the NFL. It didn't appear that the Jets were shopping him, but the offer was clearly too good for them to pass up.
This move is truly shocking but shows just how unpredictable the NFL can be. Everyone has a price tag, and that benchmark was reached for New York.
Meanwhile, Philly's move for Phillips is swept under the rug and won't be the biggest move of the deadline. The Eagles were searching for more juice to add to the pass rush, and that's where Phillips comes into play.
In 55 career games with the Miami Dolphins, he has logged 177 total tackles, 28 TFLs, 61 QB hits, and 26 sacks. He also has a history of playing under defensive coordinator Vic Fangio, where he notched 6.5 sacks back in 2023.
Although he has suffered two significant injuries in the last two seasons, the upside is certainly there for the 26-year-old. The Eagles felt confident enough in him to give up a third-round pick in return for Phillips, and the new acquisition is pumped to be in the City of Brotherly Love. In some of his first comments to the media following the trade, he said he loves Fangio and is thrilled to be on the team.
This is the exact type of answer Philly fans want to hear, and everyone involved is ready to get the ball rolling. The NFL is truly unpredictable, and this Gardner trade is just the latest example of that.