The Eagles' Franchise Tag Dilemma: Phillips, Goedert, or Let Them Walk?

The franchise tag window is here, and the Eagles face a genuine crossroads. With 20-plus free agents set to hit the open market — including Jaelan Phillips, Dallas Goedert, Reed Blankenship, and Nakobe Dean — Howie Roseman has decisions to make. The tag is a blunt instrument, but sometimes blunt is exactly what you need.

Let's break down who deserves the tag, who doesn't, and what makes the most sense for this roster.

Jaelan Phillips: The Case For Tagging the Edge

This is the headliner. Phillips was acquired from Miami mid-season and immediately looked like a different player in Vic Fangio's defense. In just eight games, he racked up two sacks but — more importantly — played at a consistently elite level as a pass rusher, setting up teammates and stuffing the run. The sack numbers don't tell the full story. The pressure rate does.

Here's the problem: the defensive end franchise tag is projected at roughly $27.3 million. That's a monster number for a player with an extensive injury history — Phillips tore his Achilles in 2023 and has dealt with various ailments throughout his career. But the flip side is equally terrifying. If Phillips walks, the Eagles are staring at a pass rush that got noticeably worse after letting Josh Sweat leave for Arizona on a 4-year, $76.4 million deal last offseason. You can't keep bleeding edge talent.

The market says Phillips could command a 3-year deal worth $52 to $80 million on the open market. That's a wide range, and the uncertainty is exactly why the franchise tag exists. Slap the tag on him, buy a year to evaluate his health and production in a full 17-game season, and negotiate a long-term deal from a position of strength. At $27.3 million for one year, it's expensive — but losing another premium edge rusher for nothing would be worse.

Dallas Goedert: The Loyal Soldier

Goedert just had the best season of his career. Sixty catches, 591 receiving yards, and 11 touchdowns — a single-season franchise record for an Eagles tight end. At 31, he proved he's still a weapon, and he did it while the team cycled through yet another offensive coordinator.

The tight end tag is projected at $16.3 million. Compared to the DE tag, that's downright reasonable. But here's the thing: Goedert probably doesn't need the tag. He's been in Philly for eight years. He loves it here. The team loves him. This feels like a situation where a multi-year extension gets done without the tag entering the conversation. Goedert's market — steady, reliable, mid-tier TE1 production — doesn't scream "bidding war." Teams aren't going to throw $18 million a year at a 31-year-old tight end, no matter how many touchdowns he scored.

Using the tag on Goedert would be overkill. Save it for where it actually matters.

Reed Blankenship: Worth the Discussion

Blankenship is a sneaky-important piece of this defense, and safeties don't grow on trees. But the safety tag is projected around $20.5 million — way above what Blankenship would command on the open market. Tagging him would be paying a premium that makes zero financial sense. Let the market set his price, then match or move on.

Nakobe Dean: Let Him Walk

Dean's ceiling is tantalizing, but the knee injury clouds everything. In a deep linebacker free agent class, his market could be limited to prove-it deals. The linebacker tag at $28.2 million? Absolutely not. This one isn't even a conversation.

The Verdict: Tag Phillips, Extend Goedert

The play here is clear. Tag Jaelan Phillips at the defensive end number — yes, $27.3 million stings, but the alternative is watching another pass rusher walk out the door for the second straight offseason. The Eagles invested draft capital to acquire Phillips from Miami. They saw what he could do in half a season. Walking away from that without at least one full year of evaluation would be organizational malpractice.

Meanwhile, get Goedert's extension done early and at a fair number. The man just set a franchise record. Pay him. He's earned it, and his market won't break the bank.

The cap situation isn't dire — the Eagles have room to maneuver with the projected $301-305 million salary cap — but it's not wide open either, especially with Jalen Carter's extension looming. Every dollar matters. That's why the tag should be deployed strategically, not sentimentally.

Howie Roseman has built his reputation on making the coldly rational move. Tagging Phillips is exactly that: protecting an asset, buying time, and keeping this defense from losing another edge rusher to the open market. The window is open. Use it.

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