Jerry Jones, Dallas Cowboys
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Dallas Cowboys Owner, President and General Manager Jerry Jones walks on the field before the game against the New York Giants at MetLife Stadium on November 04, 2019 in East Rutherford, New Jersey. (Photo by Elsa/Getty Images)
The Dallas Cowboys have already missed out on one of their rumored targets to begin the 2026 NFL offseason.
After weeks of being connected as a player in the Maxx Crosby trade sweepstakes, the Cowboys saw the Las Vegas Raiders trade him away to the Baltimore Ravens. Crosby would have been the kind of blockbuster move that Dallas needs to make to get back into Super Bowl contention.
Following the news of Crosby heading to the Ravens, the Cowboys are still widely expected to be aggressive in the pass rushing market. There are quite a few free agents who could make sense for the team.
One of those free agents happens to be Philadelphia Eagles‘ defensive end Jaelan Phillips.
Phillips was acquired by the Eagles before the NFL trade deadline last year. He is set to become a free agent, although Philadelphia has hoped to re-sign him. Dallas could steal him away when free agency opens.
Dallas Cowboys Loom Large as Threat to Sign Jaelan Phillips
ESPN’s Jeremy Fowler has shared that Phillips remains one of the potential targets for the Cowboys after missing out on Crosby. He also mentioned a few other names to keep an eye on, including Cincinnati Bengals free agent Trey Hendrickson.
“Dallas must now pivot to free agency to land its pass rusher,” Fowler said. “It has monitored Trey Hendrickson dating back to the trade deadline. He’s now a free agent. Jaelan Phillips, Odafe Oweh and Boye Mafe will be firmly on Dallas’ radar in the coming days.”
While he’s not anywhere close to the same level of player as Crosby or Hendrickson, Phillips has shown glimpses of big-time potential. He is just 26 years old with plenty of room to continue growing and improving his game.
That being said, the question remains, would Phillips be the kind of player that could take Dallas closer to winning a championship?
What Would Phillips Bring to the Cowboys?
During the 2025 NFL season split between the Dolphins and Eagles, Phillips played in 17 games. He racked up 53 total tackles to go along with five sacks, a forced fumble, two fumble recoveries, and four defended passes.
Throughout his young career, injuries have played a major role in holding Phillips back. He played in 17 games each of his first two seasons, but only played in eight in 2023 and four in 2024.
What would it cost for the Cowboys to sign Phillips? Spotrac has shared a projection for Phillips.
They have suggested the pass rusher’s market value to be around $17.3 million per season. In addition, they suggested that a potential contract for him could be worth $52 million over the course of three years.
It will be interesting to see what the offseason has in store for Dallas. Phillips is a name to watch, but it has become clear that the Cowboys could cast a wide net to bring in a pass rusher.