The stat gurus at PFF break down Howie Roseman and the Eagles’ Jaelan Phillips grab.
“The Philadelphia Eagles, I think so far, have been the most interesting team with 24 hours to go in this.” Those were Dalton Wasserman’s words as we sat with one more full day to go before the NFL’s 4 p.m. EST trade deadline on November 4th.
He and fellow Pro Football Focus mainstay Trevor Sikkema hosted a Grade Release Show. They aren’t alone in their interest in yet another Howie Roseman trade. Local and national media have been on fire since the announcement of Jaelan Phillips leaving the Miami Dolphins to travel north, reunite with Vic Fangio, and join a legitimate contender.
A third-rounder in 2026 was the asking price, a small fee to pay for a team that was looking to reinvigorate its pass rush. Josh Sweat’s departure this offseason was expected, but Philadelphia has had a difficult time replacing him.
Josh Uche and Azeez Ojulari haven’t added any consistent punch. Nolan Smith has missed time because of injury. Jalyx Hunt hasn’t developed into what his coaches and organization would like him to be fast enough.
To make matters worse, Sweat is in Phoenix and balling out for the Arizona Cardinals. He has tallied seven sacks through his first eight games, including two in Week 9 vs. the Dallas Cowboys, so you can understand why the Eagles would be led to make something happen.
Pro Football Focus adds its stamp of approval to the Eagles’ acquisition of Jaelan Phillips.
It’s easy to see why the Eagles had interest in Jaelan Phillips. When he’s healthy, he’s a monster. It also doesn’t hurt that some of his best football was played under Vic Fangio’s watch. Injuries short-circuited what could have been a phenomenal 2023 season.
Despite the shortened season, he racked up 43 tackles, 6.5 sacks, 11 additional QB hits, two pass breakups, and an interception during eight games with six starts. Trevor Sikkema and Dalton Wasserman were very complimentary in their analysis.
The Eagles rank 19th in pass-rush win rate. Phillips has tallied a 19.3% pass-rush win rate on his own, along with an 18.1% pressure percentage per PFF. Both would currently rank 1st among Eagles defensive linemen this season.
Wasserman is right. The Eagles have definitely been interesting, but a lot has happened since this conversation. The Indianapolis Colts have added Sauce Gardner. The Cowboys have added both linebacker Logan Wilson and defensive tackle Quinnen Williams.
An already phenomenal NFL season is shaping up to craft an outstanding finish. How about that Eagles vs. Cowboys tussle on November 23rd in Arlington? That one has all of the trimmings before the Birds tackle a short week and their first-ever game played on Black Friday.
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