On Monday, however, a deal that served all parties well materialized.
The Miami Dolphins agreed to send edge rusher Jaelan Phillips to the Philadelphia Eagles in exchange for a 2026 third-round pick, according to multiple reports.
For the defending-champion Eagles, much-needed help with a flagging pass rush arrives in the form of a familiar figure. And for the floundering Dolphins, a long-awaited reset finally appears imminent.
Here’s how each team graded out in the deal:
Philadelphia Eagles trade grade: B-
Howie Roseman wasn’t going to toil in the bargain bin of trade deadline action for long. After bringing aboard cornerbacks Jaire Alexander and Michael Carter II last week, the architect of the Eagles once again got bold with what could be one of the most sizable moves before Tuesday’s cutoff.
Phillips is plenty talented and legitimately changes the outlook of an edge-rushing group that still sorely misses the injured Nolan Smith – as well as the departed Josh Sweat. Philadelphia will add more juice to a defense that has yet to reach anything close to last season’s championship form.
The incentive here is understandable, with Philly wanting to give itself every edge – wordplay not intended – to repeat. But the price is steep for getting either a half-year rental or a jump on a player set to hit the open market anyway. Fangio surely was drawn to a player whom he helped reach 6 1/2 sacks in eight games in 2023, when the defensive coordinator held the same position for the Dolphins. But Phillips isn’t the same player that Fangio last coached given that each of his last two seasons has ended with a significant injury (torn Achilles and torn anterior cruciate ligament).
Phillips might reconfigure the Eagles’ pass rush, but he seems unlikely to revolutionize it. But with no Myles Garrett, Maxx Crosby or (potentially) Trey Hendrickson within reach, this was likely the Eagles’ best option before February.
Miami Dolphins trade grade: B+
The calculus here isn’t nearly as complicated for Miami. A non-contender that’s in the process of bottoming out clearly needed to take advantage of a sellers’ market. The only question was whether the Dolphins would actually pull the trigger on moving one of its most valuable assets.
For a long stretch, it appeared as though the answer was no, given how the franchise’s embattled leadership appeared intent on clawing back to some semblance of relevance this season. But things shifted significantly with Friday’s parting with general manager Chris Grier. The timing seemed to suggest an interest in changing approach before the trade deadline and capitalizing on a potential sell-off.
Re-signing or franchising Phillips didn’t seem to make much sense for an organization that could be facing an extended timeline before it’s competitive again, so facing reality and selling him off to the highest bidder was the best option for getting a rebuild going. A third-round pick was likely the ceiling for a gifted player who has an injury history and is on an expiring contract.