Jaelan Phillips Admits Getting Traded from Dolphins to Eagles Was the “Best Thing That’s Ever Happened to Him in His Life”

The Eagles traded a third round draft pick to acquire pass rusher Jaelan Phillips from the Dolphins.

Jaelan Phillips Admits Getting Traded from Dolphins to Eagles Was the “Best Thing That’s Ever Happened to Him in His Life”

Jaelan Phillips (Image via IMAGO/X)

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The Philadelphia Eagles’ search for a disruptor in the base of the defense led them to trade for linebacker Jaelan Phillips from the Miami Dolphins. A jubilant Phillips couldn’t contain his excitement during his first-ever media session from the Eagles locker room.

With the trade deadline ending on November 4, the Eagles dialed the struggling Dolphins team to acquire their second-best pass rusher. Phillips’ 15 combined tackles and 3 sacks ranked him just behind veteran Bradley Chubb with 4 sacks, 14 tackles, and 5 tackles for loss.

Despite Chubb’s age, the Eagles had to pay more than a third-round pick, which was enough to rope in Phillips. The 26-year-old viewed the move as a blessing.

I thought I was excited day one … talk to me now. This is literally the greatest thing that’s happened to me in my whole life, probably… A pivotal point in my life and in my career.

Jaelan Phillips said

In Philly, Phillips is reunited with Vic Fangio, who was the defensive coordinator in Miami when he first came to the NFL. His best season came under Fangio’s guidance in 2023, when he had 6.5 sacks in eight games before suffering an ACL tear.

Of course, the circumstances are different with the Eagles than with the Dolphins. Phillips will take reps besides some of the best in the business, including Super Bowl winner Brandon Graham, who returned to the team after initially announcing his retirement ahead of the 2025 season.

An NFL scout believes that the Eagles overpaid for Jaelan Phillips

The Dolphins cut ties with Phillips before the end of his rookie NFL contract. However, they will still take on at least $1.5 million of Phillips’ $6 million-plus salary for the rest of the campaign.

Jaelan Phillips Admits Getting Traded from Dolphins to Eagles Was the “Best Thing That’s Ever Happened to Him in His Life”
Jaelan Phillips (Image via IMAGO)

That’s not the issue here. The real issue in this entire ordeal is Phillips’ injuries. Even though the 26-year-old has played nine games this year, he’s missed 19 games over the previous 2 seasons due to a torn ACL in 2023 and a torn Achilles tendon in 2024.

Former NFL scouting director Greg Gabriel tweeted,

Philly vastly overpaid for Phillips, whose sack production has been average since his rookie year. And he’s coming out of contract, so he’s a rental.

The bottom line is that the Eagles managed to grab a solid player who had caught the attention of both the Dallas Cowboys and the San Francisco 49ers. Additionally, the Eagles also acquired the unofficial power to extend his stay in Philly or allow him to enter free agency in 2026.

Depending on his performance, Phillips can easily command a healthy salary. According to the 33rd Team, Phillips has generated 18.7% of his pass rushes this season, the 8th-highest among players with 100+ pass rush opportunities in the nine appearances.

The Eagles are set to play the Green Bay Packers coming Monday. They met in the playoffs in January, which the Eagles won 22-10. Quarterback Jalen Hurts had 160+ combined yards and 2 touchdowns, while running back and eventual OPOY, Saquon Barkley, racked up 25 carries for 119 yards.

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