Jaelan Phillips trade grades: Eagles take a bold swing on Dolphins pass rusher; Miami begins rebuild

The 2025 NFL trade deadline is fast approaching, and no team is taking it more seriously than the Philadelphia Eagles. Six days after acquiring cornerback Michael Carter II from the New York Jets, and just two days after adding another cover man in former All-Pro Jaire Alexander, the reigning Super Bowl champions landed former first-round draft pick Jaelan Phillips from the Miami Dolphins.

The real question is, are the Eagles noticeably improving? Or are they just striking deals for the sake of movement? General manager Howie Roseman has admitted that he has a hard time sitting on his hands, even when his squad is mostly well-rounded, so it's fair to ponder the Eagles' latest deal before instantly declaring it a "steal."

2025 NFL Trade Deadline Tracker: Live updates and analysis as Eagles bolster pass rush

Zachary Pereles

What are the Eagles getting in Phillips, who might just be the first of several Dolphins pass rushers to be shipped elsewhere? Is it possible the Dolphins register as more likely winners in the trade? Here's our gut reaction on how each side fared in the pre-deadline deal, which reunites Phillips with his former Miami defensive coordinator in Vic Fangio:

The trade

• Dolphins get: 2026 third-round draft pick
• Eagles get: OLB Jaelan Phillips

Dolphins: B

Miami is generally in a state of turmoil, headed for a 17th straight season without a playoff win and already out a permanent general manager thanks to Chris Grier's dismissal. Coach Mike McDaniel may or may not be next to go after the season concludes. It stands to reason that, with a rebuild on the horizon, the Dolphins should retain, not sell, their younger talent. But Phillips, 26, was headed for free agency after the 2025 season. He's also been quite mercurial in terms of both production and, more so, availability, missing a combined 22 games from 2023-24, so it's not like Miami would've been betting on a stable starter had it extended him. Fielding a late third-rounder for a volatile performer on an expiring deal is solid process. Now comes the difficult part for the Dolphins' brass -- whoever that is moving forward -- to make good on the added resource.

Eagles: C+

On paper, this makes all the sense in the world. Phillips always stood out as a logical Eagles target for several reasons: (1) Roseman loves a gamble on a former high pick stuck in a rut or bad situation; (2) Philly badly needed edge rushing help with Nolan Smith recovering from injury and Brandon Graham lured out of retirement to fill in for the abruptly retired Za'Darius Smith, and (3) Phillips presents longer-term upside as well as experience under defensive coordinator Vic Fangio. Phillips has also proven to be a viable starter when healthy, notably logging 6.5 sacks in just eight games under Fangio in 2023. Everything hinges on the former UCLA and Miami standout staying upright, however, which has been a problem. Roseman also has a surprisingly spotty track record when spending on big-name rentals, so he almost needs the new guy to either tear it up en route to a title repeat and/or stick around under a new deal to impact the Eagles' defense beyond 2025.