Biggest questions about Eagles trade deadline strategy, and other AMA highlights

After the dust settled from the 2025 NFL trade deadline, The Inquirer’s Olivia Reiner conducted an AMA (ask me anything) session with Eagles Reddit users, discussing topics including the edge rusher rotation, the impact of former first-round pick Jaire Alexander to the cornerback room, and why the cornerback-needy Eagles didn’t make a run at Jets-turned-Colts standout Sauce Gardner.

The following has been edited for length and clarity.

Reiner: Full transparency, we haven’t spoken to any of the [defensive] coaches post-trade deadline, so I can’t speak to how they would respond to this question. But from my own perspective, it seems like Jaelan Phillips has the clearest path to making an immediate impact as a top-of-the-rotation player among the edge rushers corps.

» READ MORE: Jaelan Phillips is ecstatic about trade to Eagles

Howie Roseman gave up a third-round pick to acquire him, which is a pretty substantial return, so there’s no doubt the Eagles expect him to play. He was playing 73% of the defensive snaps for the Dolphins this year. Given that it’s been a relatively quiet year for the Eagles edge rushers, Phillips should have an opportunity to make an impact, even with Nolan Smith returning from injured reserve soon.

Reiner: My guess is that Vic Fangio is going to ease Smith into the rotation given he hasn’t practiced with the team in weeks. I would be surprised if Graham plays more than 15 snaps a game. I think that Phillips, Jalyx Hunt, and eventually Smith will shoulder the bulk of the snaps, with Josh Uche also contributing.

Reiner: At the very least, he can serve as a mentor to the young defensive backs in the room like Quinyon Mitchell and Cooper DeJean. Time will tell if he can make an on-field impact. Howie Roseman expressed confidence in Alexander’s current health at his post-deadline press conference on Tuesday.

Still, he was a healthy scratch five times this season in Baltimore. Perhaps he has a better chance of getting on the field in Philly, but he hasn’t exactly looked like his old Pro Bowl self in limited post-injury opportunities. Perhaps Christian Parker can bring the best out of Alexander, but he still has a lot to prove if he’s eyeing that starting outside cornerback spot opposite Mitchell.

Reiner: This is just a guess, but I still think Kelee Ringo is in the pole position to start at CB2 next week. Alexander has a long way to go before he can prove he’s deserving of starting snaps. Maybe Carter emerges as a solid option in the slot and the Eagles opt to move DeJean to the outside full-time. It’s too early to tell if the newcomers are bona fide starters in Philly, but at the very least, the Eagles have some more options now.

» READ MORE: Everything to know about Jaire Alexander

Reiner: Perhaps, but I think that the Eagles coaches have plenty of familiarity with Jeff Hafley’s defense given how frequently they’ve faced the Packers over the past year. The trade strikes me as more of a dart throw on a once-great player whose career has been derailed recently by injury. Roseman has a track record of buying low on players with draft pedigree (Alexander was the Packers’ 18th overall pick in 2018). This move falls right in line with that philosophy. It’s a dart worth throwing given the low cost to the Eagles.

Reiner: It appears that Alexander has a new No. 18, at least for now. We’ll see if Alexander does any negotiating.

Reiner: Two first-rounders is a steep, steep asking price. In theory, the Eagles could have two Quinyon Mitchells for the price of one Sauce Gardner. With Jalen Carter and Jordan Davis due for extensions soon (and Mitchell and DeJean eventually after that), it wouldn’t make sense to add a top-of-market cornerback contract into the mix for the long term.

Reiner: This is just a guess, but I would expect to see the offense continue to lean into the under center play, both in the run and the pass, that they’ve had great success with over the last two games. The Eagles thrived in the play action game from under center against the Vikings. Saquon Barkley had his best game of the season before the bye against the Giants, with the bulk of his 150-yard production on the ground coming when Hurts was under center. The more variety the offense can incorporate to keep defenses guessing, the better.

Has the offensive line truly been as banged up as they seem based on their in-game performance? Has [O-line coach Jeff] Stoutland made any changes to address any health or performance issues during the bye week, particularly when it comes to run blocking?

Reiner: Full disclosure, we haven’t spoken to Jeff Stoutland since training camp. Still, it’s no secret that the offensive line has been pretty banged up this season, but it seems like things are starting to look up for the group. Landon Dickerson has been playing well after dealing with a couple of different injuries this season (meniscus and back, not to mention the knee issue he was dealing with at the end of last season). It was encouraging to see Brett Toth have such a strong performance at center in [Cam Jurgens’] absence against the Giants. Execution has been an issue up front in the run game this season, but the group was much better against the Giants. We’ll see if they can sustain that level of play against tougher opponents going forward.