While the Philadelphia Eagles' need to make trade deadline moves was never in question, there was a debate over whether or not the franchise overpaid to pull off certain deals. Spending a third-round pick on edge rusher Jaelan Phillips was viewed as a questionable decision, especially when his best season was back in the 2021 season with 8.5 sacks. It raised questions about whether or not the Eagles overpaid.
A question that it appears Boston Sports Journal's Mike Giardi answered, making it clear that the New England Patriots were in on Phillips. The Patriots' reported interest helps explain why the Eagles were willing to pay such a high price a day before the deadline. General manager Howie Roseman has a long history of savvy moves and, in truth, shouldn't be doubted when it comes to roster decisions.
This isn't to suggest that Roseman is perfect, but rather pointing out the reality of how massive the GM was in pushing the franchise over the top in a recent run of domination.
Eagles Spent Top Dollar on Jaelan Phillips to Beat Patriots
Putting two and two together, it seems likely that the Patriots were more in the fourth- or fifth-round range, forcing Roseman's hand. The Dolphins, being obvious sellers, wanted the best possible turn, which may have led to their asking the Pats to up their offer.
Philly obviously has a strong sense of belief that putting Phillips into their system is going to drastically improve the results. This is far from a hot take when you consider the benefits of playing alongside Jalen Carter and Jordan Davis. Having two such dominating forces on the inside opens the door for edge rushers to play at their absolute best. The Eagles obviously believe that is going ot be the case for the ex-Miami Dolphin.
Phillips is already off to a solid start this season with 3.0 sacks on the year. Finishing with almost 10 sacks after joining a far superior defense is absolutely on the table, especially if defensive coordinator Kevin Patullo plays to his strengths. If that succeeds, Eagles fans will have an even better idea as to why Roseman was willing to throw a third-rounder to the Dolphins.
Philly's edge rush is now going to be anchored by Phillips, Josh Uche, Brandon Graham, and Nolan Smith. Azeez Ojulari was placed on injured reserve last week, pointing out just how important this move was to give the Eagles a chance to find a consistent pass rush down the stretch of the season.
Winning comes at a price in the NFL, and Roseman just showed that he's willing to pay whatever it takes to maintain the Eagles' contendership status. If Philadelphia goes all the way to the Super Bowl and Phillips plays a key role in that success, what looks like an overpayment could soon age like fine wine.