The NFL’s “Legal Tampering” window is less than 48 hours away, and for the first time in years, the Washington Commanders are predicted to be big spenders. With $83.3 million in cap space, Adam Peters has the leverage to make moves and create a splash in the NFC East.

Today, the Philadelphia Eagles made a statement signing. They signed defensive tackle Jordan Davis to a record-breaking, three-year, $78 million extension ($65M guaranteed), illustrating exactly who Howie Roseman prioritizes this offseason.

Signing Davis showed a clear sign that they want to prioritize their interior, but they may have left the door ajar on the edge. This raises an eyebrow, especially with a recent report by ESPN’s Dan Graziano, who predicted a move that would send shockwaves through the division. He predicted that Washington would “be in” on Edge Rusher Jaelan Phillips, and hypothesized a four-year, $92 million deal for the 26-year-old.

While the Eagles would love to keep Phillips, they may be limited by their flexibility. In addition to Davis’ extension, Philadelphia hopes to extend star defensive tackle Jalen Carter. So while Philly picks their favorites, Washington may be poised to pick their pocket.

At first glance, looking at Phillips’ 2025 stats—5 sacks and 11 QB hits—may give you pause on paying the former Dolphin a significant contract. Over the Cap (OTC) has Phillips projected to cost $23M AAV, a significant investment for a free agent. But if you dig deeper into his profile, especially his efficiency metrics, Adam Peters may hit on an ascending player while also harming an NFC rival and contender.

When the season starts, Phillips will be 27 years old and still capable of producing three to four years of solid production. Despite the low sack totals last season, Phillips finished 2025 ranked 9th among all Edge Rushers with 73 total pressures and boasted a 21.8% pass-rush win rate in the second half of the season (per PFF). In eight games with the Eagles, Phillips produced 41 pressures and 32 hurries—an impressive rate for a team looking to cause chaos in the backfield.

Phillips' playstyle also fits perfectly into new Defensive Coordinator Daronte Jones’ philosophy. During his welcome press conference, Jones emphasized that he wants to play "positionless" football and create an Individualized Education Plan (IEP) for all of his players. At 6’5” and 263 lbs, Phillips has the size and athletic ability to bump down the line or even play out in space in short-field coverage.

Phillips also sports a 9.87 RAS score and showed explosive traits with a 4.58 40-yard dash, a 1.59-second 10-yard split, and a 4.18-second shuttle. All three of those scores are in the 96th percentile of Edge Rushers measured. He’s the elite athletic upgrade over the aging core of Von Miller (turning 37 this month) and Jacob Martin.

Although there are plenty of reasons to be excited about Phillips, he isn’t a flawless prospect. Phillips had back-to-back season-ending injuries, and both are significant. He tore his Achilles in 2023 and his ACL in 2024, which can give you pause when considering a large contract.

But if you look at things "glass half full," his 2025 tape showed a player who regained his elite upfield burst. He also played in 17 games in 2025, so you could argue that he is past the “recovery year” and should enter 2026 fresh and ready to make an impact.

Keeping with this positive outlook, his injury history does drive down his price. Typically, a player with his age and production could command a contract near $30M per season. However, I believe the league is hesitant and will be reluctant to go "all in." Spotrac believes Phillips will earn a contract below market value with an annual cost of $17.3M per year. If this comes to fruition, that’s a steal for a 26-year-old Edge Rusher entering his prime.

This would allow Adam Peters to add a younger Edge talent who easily fits within his budget. This deal would also not prohibit Washington from adding more Edge talent in the draft. In fact, it would give them more flexibility. With Phillips in tow, they could draft an Edge Rusher at No. 7 or even wait until pick 71. This Edge class is reportedly very deep.

The short answer is no. Although Graziano’s prediction of a $92 million contract sounds prohibitive, it’s truly not. Washington can structure the deal with a high signing bonus and reduce Phillips' annual cap impact to the $10M–$15M range, which is highly manageable.

This keeps the “fireworks” money available to address the offensive line or find a playmaker at tight end (Isaiah Likely) or wide receiver (Alec Pierce). In this case, Philadelphia’s cap constraint is Washington’s gain. The Commanders have the flexibility to build a more well-rounded and complete roster.

Phillips is a home-run pick and arguably the best pass rusher on the market. His combination of size, age, and the fact that you are stealing him from a division rival makes him incredibly appealing. His addition would boost the pass rush, improve the defense, and lessen the need to commit to the Edge position at No. 7—but he also wouldn’t prohibit you from going that direction either.

Phillips is worth the risk, and someone I want Washington to aggressively pursue this weekend.