Eagles agree to deals with pass rusher Arnold Ebiketie, cornerback Jonathan Jones
On a team that lost three defensive starters this week, the Eagles made some key additions on that side of the ball as well.
In the aftermath of Jaelan Phillips’ departure for the Carolina Panthers, some pass rush help is on the way to Philadelphia.
The Eagles agreed to terms on a one-year deal with former Atlanta Falcons outside linebacker Arnold Ebiketie, the team announced on Friday. According to ESPN, the deal is worth up to $7.3 million, with $4.3 million guaranteed.
Ebiketie, 27, just finished his rookie contract with the Falcons, the team that selected him No. 38 overall in the 2022 draft out of Penn State.
He was primarily a rotational player throughout his four-year career in Atlanta, never eclipsing more than 50% of the defensive snaps. But he has plenty of pass-rush upside, combining for 16½ sacks in that span, including six sacks in both 2023 and 2024.
This past season, Ebiketie, at 6-foot-2 and 250 pounds, played just 35% of the defensive snaps as he was buried onthe depth chart. Even though he played just 177 pass-rush snaps, the fewest of his career according to Next Gen Stats, he finished with a 16.4% pressure rate, which was the second-highest of his career. He finished the season with two sacks.
The Eagles have plenty of familiarity with Ebiketie. He reportedly visited the Eagles on a top-30 predraft visit in 2022. Ebiketie was a Temple edge rusher from 2017 to 2020 and transferred to Penn State in 2021.
Ebiketie was born in Yaoundé, Cameroon, which is also the hometown of Joel Embiid, on Jan. 23, 1999. He moved to the Washington area when he was 12and began playing football at Albert Einstein High in Kensington, Md., as a sophomore, according to The Athletic.
On a one-year, prove-it deal, Ebiketie is set to compete for a role with an Eagles pass rush that went quiet at times last season. The group, headlined by Nolan Smith and Jalyx Hunt, sorely needed reinforcements this offseason with Phillips, Joshua Uche, Azeez Ojulari, and Brandon Graham all hitting free agency.
Phillips (Carolina Panthers), Uche (Miami Dolphins) and Ojulari (Atlanta Falcons) have moved to new teams this week. Graham, who turns 38 next month, is undecided on returning for a 17th season.
Eagles agree to a one-year deal with veteran DB Jonathan Jones
The Eagles are also adding depth to their cornerback room, agreeing to terms with 10-year-veteran Jonathan Jones on a one-year deal, a league source confirmed to The Inquirer on Thursday.
Jones, 32, started seven games last season with the Washington Commanders (appearing in 12 games total) primarily at outside cornerback. He has split time throughout his career both on the outside and in the slot, although the majority of those slot snaps occurred from 2017 to 2020.
The 5-foot-9, 185-pound cornerback had five pass breakups, a sack, and 41 tackles on 484 defensive snaps (60%) in 2025.
» READ MORE: New Eagles CB Riq Woolen is ready to get his Philly career started. He has a lot at stake in 2026.
Before joining the Commanders, Jones spent nine seasons with the New England Patriots (2016-24), the team that signed him as an undrafted free agent out of Auburn in 2016. He won two Super Bowls in New England during the 2016 and 2018 seasons.
Jones previously played for new Eagles secondary coach Mike Pellegrino in New England from 2019 to 2024 when he was the Patriots’ cornerbacks coach.
Through 10 seasons, Jones has started 78 games (144 appearances total), making him the most experienced player set to compete for a secondary job in training camp. Jones is the Eagles’ second free-agent cornerback addition this week, with Riq Woolen agreeing to terms with the team Tuesday.