New Philadelphia Eagles edge rusher Jaelan Phillips has yet to play a snap for the franchise, but he's already thinking long term. This is great news for Philly fans hoping the blockbuster trade is more than a one-year rental.
The Eagles spent a third-round pick in exchange for the edge rusher, making it clear there is a great deal of optimism about the fit and possible impact. This was furthered by a report from NBC's Dave Zangaro, offering that while "He doesn’t want to get ahead of himself, [Phillips] would definitely be interested in staying here long-term."
Phillips has yet to enjoy playing in the Eagles' talented defensive front and is already openly talking about the idea of staying long term. Phillips is set to become an unrestricted free agent after the season, and after starting his career with the struggling Dolphins, he could be looking for an opportunity to play for a winning team for a while.
Eagles Contract Extension Already on Jaelan Phillips' Mind
This probably isn't the best message to be sending if you're Phillips or his agent looking at the situation objectively. Staying quiet about the long-term options while hopefully showing out through the second half of the season could give him a lot of leverage in negotiations. And just reaching the end of his rookie contract, this is also someone who has still yet to truly cash in for their first major NFL payday.
However, Eagles fans can't help but be excited by the possibility of keeping Phillips long-term after spending a third-round pick to land the defender.
It is clear that this is already on the pass rusher's mind as well, and it is easy to understand why. Edge rushers in Philadelphia have a clear advantage playing alongside Jordan Davis and Jalen Carter. The two defensive linemen are incredibly impactful on the inside, demanding attention and double-teams that make life for outside rushers far easier.
Josh Sweat is a prime example of this from last season, turning his Super Bowl run into a four-year, $76.4 million contract with the Arizona Cardinals. It is the type of payday that any talented edge rushers set themselves up for when playing along this incredibly talented defensive front.
With that said, it's exciting and a bit of a breath of fresh air that this doesn't appear to be the mindset of Phillips. Instead of focusing on the potential payday or how he could set himself up for in free agency, the edge rusher is already thinking of a future with the Eagles.
This is something the franchise would be more than happy to facilitate if he has the impact we're all expecting. Regardless of how it plays out, this is an incredibly positive note to start his Eagles tenure on, leaving hope that he'll be a long-term fixture on this defense.