The November 4 trade deadline is right around the corner, and what the Philadelphia Eagles, who are in the midst of their bye week, will do to upgrade their roster is the question on the fanbase's mind. While there has been much-discussed locker room tension on the offensive side of the ball, the Eagles are much more likely to make a move to boost their defense between now and Tuesday. The pass rush rotation is the most obvious area in need of an upgrade, even after Brandon Graham's return from retirement.
Trading for a quality pass rusher can be a difficult task, especially in-season. There are usually more buyers than sellers for one of the most premium positions in football, increasing the price tag for the few options on the market. Fortunately for the Eagles, however, one solid option may be gettable for a reasonable price, according to The Athletic's Dianna Russini.
Dolphins' Asking Price for Jaelan Phillips Is Reasonable for the Eagles
On Saturday, Russini reported on the trade deadline, revealing what she has heard around the league. It included a few fascinating tidbits about the Eagles. GM Howie Roseman has reportedly been active, discussing potential trades with the Bengals, Jets, and the Dolphins. While Jets' EDGE defender Jermaine Johnson seems to have a hefty asking price, Miami's reported price tag for Jaelan Phillips makes the 26-year-old defender an ideal trade target.
According to Russini, the Eagles, along with the 49ers, Patriots, and other teams, have been talking to the Dolphins about Phillips. Following the firing of their GM Chris Grier after their Thursday Night Football loss, the Dolphins are looking for "at least a third-rounder" in return.
The Dolphins are 2-7 and have lost all hope for this season. They will be making radical changes up and down the roster and on the sidelines. Moving on from Phillips now, whose contract expires at the end of the season, instead of letting him walk for free in the offseason, makes a ton of sense.
After suffering season-ending injuries in back-to-back seasons, Phillips is finally back to being healthy this season. He may not be the star game-wrecker he was projected to become after his first two seasons in the league, but the former first-round pick is arguably the best pass rusher the Eagles could realistically acquire. Phillips has three sacks in his last five games and has received a 66.5 defensive and a 77.8 pass rush grade on Pro Football Focus. His pass-rush grade would put him second among the Eagles' edge defenders behind Joshua Uche.
All signs point to an active trade deadline for the Eagles, but which direction Roseman will go remains to be seen.