Here's a position-by-position look at the Eagles' defense going into 2026 free agency.
Dave Zangaro and Reuben Frank take a deep dive into Jaelan Phillips’ pending free agency and how it relates to Nolan Smith. The NFL offseason will kick into high gear next week when free agency begins at noon on Monday.
That’s when the negotiating window opens.The Eagles are projected to have just over $12.5 million in salary cap space, per OverTheCap, and aren’t expected to be major players in free agency. But Howie Roseman also won’t just sit on his hands.The Eagles’ biggest pending free agent is Jaelan Phillips, who is one of the top overall free agents from a somewhat weak class. Phillips isn’t even 27 yet, is a former first-round pick and plays a premium position. We also know he fits Vic Fangio’s defense. Phillips is exactly the type of free agent Howie Roseman should want to lock in long-term. But there also has to be a walk-away number. Projections for Phillips’ next contract are all over the place but he’s probably going to be somewhere in the $17-25 million per year range. At the bottom end of that, the Eagles have a chance to re-sign him but if that number rises, the Eagles will probably have to let him go. The Birds bring back Jalyx Hunt and Nolan Smith but they’re going to need more than that in 2026, so if Phillips leaves, the Eagles will need to replace him. One option that makes a ton of sense is former Dolphins edge rusher Bradley Chubb, who was released by the Dolphins. Because he was released, he won’t count toward the compensatory pick formula. And Chubb has already played under Fangio at two different spots, so we know he’ll fit. Chubb could be a second choice if the Eagles can’t retain Phillips. If the Raiders decide to trade Maxx Crosby, the Eagles could be interested. He’s a game-changing type of player and we know the Eagles were interested in Micah Parsons and Myles Garrett within the last couple years, so it stands to reason they’d be interested in Crosby too. The Eagles will also need to figure out whether Brandon Graham is back but that shouldn’t change anything else they do at the position. The Eagles could also look for one-year veterans like they did last year with Ojulari, Uche and Okoronkwo.The Eagles are in a really good position at defensive tackle in 2026, returning their top six players from the 2025 season. This offseason at that position will be more about keeping their good players long-term. Jordan Davis will enter the 2026 season on the fifth-year option of his rookie deal and he played well enough in 2025 that the Eagles should try to extend him. Not only does that make football sense but it would decrease his cap charge in this coming season. And Jalen Carter is also eligible for a contract extension for the first time in his NFL career. The former No. 9 overall pick has been very good early in his career and is going to get a major payday. The Eagles probably shouldn’t wait to pay Carter; it would make more sense if the two sides reach a long-term extension at some point this offseason. Either way, the Eagles should pick up the fifth-year options for Carter and Nolan Smith. But the Eagles should really try to extend Carter.The Eagles are going to miss Nakobe Dean. There’s just no way around that. Dean came back from a devastating injury in the 2024 playoffs and from the moment he got back on the field in 2025, provided the Eagles with a big boost. But the Eagles paid Zack Baun last offseason and then used a first-round pick on Jihaad Campbell. And as much as it would be great to have Dean back in 2026, it just seems very unlikely the Eagles will continue to pour resources into the inside linebacker position. If a market doesn’t materialize for Dean, could he be back? Maybe. But that seems unlikely. And Campbell played well enough as a rookie to think he and Baun will form a formidable duo this upcoming season. We have also seen enough from Jeremiah Trotter Jr. to expect him to be a solid backup this season. The Eagles obviously won’t be spending big at linebacker in free agency unless they shock everyone and decide to keep Dean.The Eagles are very set at two of their three cornerback positions. Quinyon Mitchell and Cooper DeJean were both All-Pros in 2025 and will return for Year 3 of their careers as still-ascending players in 2026. But that CB2 position is up for grabs now that Adoree’ Jackson is a free agent. I wouldn’t rule out a Jackson return — he got better as the 2025 season went on — but the Eagles also tried to upgrade at that spot at every turn. They wanted Kelee Ringo to win that job, then they brought in Jakorian Bennett in a training camp trade and then brought in Jaire Alexander in a midseason trade. So they will probably continue to look to upgrade. This feels like a spot where the Eagles could actually bring in an outside veteran. Maybe a guy like Riq Woolen, Greg Newsome II, Cor'Dale Flott or even Josh Jobe could be a fit. The nice thing about having DeJean’s versatility is the Eagles have the option to add an outside corner or a nickel corner because DeJean can play inside and outside. The Eagles would probably prefer to use him the same way in 2026 — outside in base, inside in nickel — but DeJean proved his ability as an outside corner this past season.The Eagles saw some good signs from Andrew Mukuba during his rookie season and he really started to find some consistency before fracturing his ankle in late November. But we can pencil him in as a starter in 2026. One of the Eagles’ most important pending free agents is Reed Blankenship. The former UDFA has been a steadying force for the Eagles’ secondary but he’s also the type of player who might get overpaid in free agency. If he ends up being a $10 million per season player, the Eagles might have to let him walk, which won’t be easy. But if Blankenship leaves, then perhaps the Eagles pivot and try to keep Epps. While Epps is older and maybe not as good, he would be a solid and cheaper option and we already know he has familiarity with the defense. There are other options out there too like Coby Bryant, Jalen Thompson, Kamren Curl, Nick Cross, Xavier Woods and more. Keep an eye on Minkah Fitzpatrick, who might be a cap casualty in Miami. He would be a big-ticket player who could really change the Eagles’ defense. Of course, maybe the Eagles should just re-sign C.J. Gardner-Johnson again and take their semiannual trip back to the Super Bowl.
United States Latest News, United States Headlines
Similar News:You can also read news stories similar to this one that we have collected from other news sources.
Four 2026 NFL Draft Prospects for the Bears to Replace Drew DalmanWith a sudden need at center and limited salary cap space, the Chicago Bears could turn to the 2026 NFL draft.
Read more »
7 Most Exciting Sci-Fi Shows Coming to Netflix in 2026Jess Hong as Jin Cheng holding up an apple in a candlelit church in episode 103 of '3 Body Problem.'
Read more »
Position-by-position look at 2026 Eagles offense before free agencyHere's a position-by-position look at the Eagles' offense going into 2026 free agency.
Read more »
Affordable Sedan Showdown: 2026 Nissan Sentra SL vs. 2026 Volkswagen Jetta SELCaleb Miller began blogging about cars at 13 years old, and he realized his dream of writing for a car magazine after graduating from Carnegie Mellon University and joining the Car and Driver team. He loves quirky and obscure autos, aiming to one day own something bizarre like a Nissan S-Cargo, and is an avid motorsports fan.
Read more »
Five Best Landing Spots For Isaiah Likely in 2026 Include Eagles, CommandersThe tight end has failed to make a major impact in his first four years in the NFL due mostly to the presence of Mark Andrews in the Ravens' offense.
Read more »
Five Best Landing Spots For David Njoku in 2026 Include Eagles, BuccaneersThe veteran tight end can easily re-establish himself as a starter now that he’s slated to become a free agent.
Read more »