The Philadelphia Eagles brought in edge-rusher Jaelan Phillips in a mid-season deal with the Miami Dolphins last year. And while the 26-year-old had just two sacks in eight games for his new team, Phillips was excellent against the run and should be one of the most coveted free agents at a premium position this spring.
While addressing the media, Phillips allowed that he’s not sure what the future holds. But he also said that he enjoyed his time in Philadelphia and would be amenable to returning.
“It’s my first experience with it (free agency) so I’m not really sure how it plays out,” Phillips said. “But we’ll see. We’ll see what happens. Obviously, I’ve got a family now and a kid on the way and sort of think about that. But, also, you know I want to be on a competitive team and part of an environment where I love the guys I’m around and love the organization I’m playing for. I feel that here. So, we’ll see.”
Phillips is entering the prime of his career and has no shortage of potential. But he also has a fairly extensive injury history—one that makes signing the five-year veteran to a long-term deal something of a risky proposition.
The projected franchise tag for defensive ends isn’t cheap–$26.6 million. The Eagles are also short on cap space, with $10.4 million in wiggle room.
But Philly also doesn’t have much depth on the edge, and losing Phillips would be a major blow, so the tag could be a possibility.