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The trade deadline has come and gone, and Howie Roseman addressed two of the Eagles’ biggest question marks: cornerback and edge rusher. So, how did the Birds do? Here’s a look at how the national media graded the deals for Jaelan Phillips and more … ESPN: A/B- ESPN gave the Eagles an A for the Phillips deal, giving up just a third-round pick to bolster their edge rusher room. Even though Phillips is a rental, the Birds will earn a compensatory pick if he ends up leaving in free agency, making the deal an even bigger win. “Considering Phillips’ track record and that he’s getting back to form after his ACL injury, I think it’s reasonable for the Eagles to expect him to be little better than that in the second half of the season,” Seth Walder wrote. “Phillips also generally scores well in run stop win rate, and that has particularly been the case this season, when his 30.5% RSWR at edge ranks 11th among edge rushers.” » READ MORE: Howie Roseman addressed need with Jaelan Phillips trade, but why did the Eagles need an edge rusher in the first place? ESPN was not as excited about the Jaire Alexander trade, giving it a B-, despite the low pick value and the Birds’ desperate need for cornerback help. Alexander is a two-time All-Pro, but was a healthy scratch on a struggling Ravens defense. “In general, I respect throwing multiple darts at a problem, especially as a team with (repeat) Super Bowl champion aspirations. That being said, the chance that Alexander is the solution looks quite unlikely.” Yahoo! Sports: A- Looking at all of the Eagles’ moves, including the early-season acquisition of running back Tank Bigsby and the trade for Jets cornerback Michael Carter II, Yahoo! Sports gave them an A- for the deadline as a whole, one of just four teams to receive an A-level grade. “Allow us to heap even more praise on GM Howie Roseman, who fortified the defense with low-cost CB2 dart throws and a potentially key edge rusher in Jaelan Phillips, and retained 10 picks (including multiples in the third, fourth and fifth rounds) this upcoming draft. At the very least, the Eagles didn’t hurt themselves by trying to get better.” » READ MORE: Howie Roseman is ‘the Obi-Wan Kenobi of NFL trades’ and what they’re saying about the Eagles’ deadline moves The Athletic: A- Over at The Athletic, Jeff Howe graded the Phillips trade from both sides, and gave the Eagles the slightest edge over the Dolphins, A- to B+, and credited Roseman for making a “bold” move. “The defending Super Bowl champions are the No. 1 seed in the NFC, and they’re in dogged pursuit of another ring,” Howe wrote. “You must always respect bold moves in a situation like this. “Eagles defensive coordinator Vic Fangio had the same role with the Dolphins in 2023, so he’s familiar with Phillips. Fangio’s peers have always admired his ability to identify his scheme and personality fits, so you can be sure the Eagles will have a sound plan to maximize Phillips’ production as they attempt to topple the conference for the third time in four years.” Bleacher Report: A/B Add Bleacher Report to the list of outlets heaping praise on the Eagles’ trade for Phillips, giving the Birds an A for the move. “Once again, general manager Howie Roseman is working his magic by acquiring one of the bigger available names at this year’s trade deadline. More importantly, the Eagles needed a boost to their pass rush, as a bottom 10 unit in sacks coming out of Week 9 action. Jaelan Phillips is both young and packed with potential.” » READ MORE: The Eagles were never trading A.J. Brown. It was dumb or cynical to suggest they would. | Mike Sielski The Alexander trade didn’t grade out quite as well, earning a B, but Bleacher Report wasn’t too down on the move. “Though his short tenure with the Ravens didn’t work out, he’s healthy, which will allow him to compete for immediate snaps. General manager Howie Roseman is known for making low-risk, high-reward moves for former high-end draft picks and notable underperformers. This trade fits that approach.” CBS Sports: A/C+ While Roseman’s move to acquire cornerback Michael Carter II received an A from CBS Sports — before the Jaire Alexander deal — the outlet was not as high on the move to acquire Phillips. Their C+ grade for the trade is the lowest we’ve found. “On paper, this makes all the sense in the world,” Cody Benjamin wrote. “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. » READ MORE: Howie Roseman’s ‘upgrade every spot’ philosophy informed deadline approach “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.” They didn’t post a grade for the Alexander trade.
