Jaelan Phillips is 2 games into his Eagles tenure and is already facing pressure
While the stakes are high for the Philadelphia Eagles franchise, for their newly acquired trade piece, the backend of the season might mean a bit more.
CBS Sports writer Jared Dubin examined some players in the NFL who are facing the most pressure in the second half of the season. Dubin mentioned Eagles edge rusher Jaelan Phillips as one who is looking to deliver on the pressure ahead of him.
"Phillips is already excelling for the Eagles and has the potential to earn himself a ton of money by continuing to play at that level for the next several weeks and into the playoffs. He has occasionally been an electric edge rusher throughout his career and again looks like that right now, but injury issues have plagued him going all the way back to college and it might be viewed as a significant risk to give him a long-term, big-money deal. If he plays well enough, though, teams could be willing to overlook that history."
Phillips must remove the durability narrative and show he can be a star in the NFL
After joining the Eagles during this year's trade deadline, Phillips was set to play out the final half of the season on his fifth-year option of his rookie deal. So far through two games, he's delivering as expected and as needed for Philadelphia.
The 2021 first-round pick has dealt with a slew of injuries over the last two seasons, limiting his ability to showcase his production. His 2023 season (ironically, where he was working with Vic Fangio in Miami) was on pace to be a 15-sack season.
Now healthy, it's up to Phillips to deliver during the final seven games of the 2025 season. Phillips has the potential to earn himself a ton of money if he continues his bounce-back with the Eagles, especially if he carries his play into Philadelphia's playoff run. Phillips, in two games with Philadelphia, has totaled 11 tackles, two tackles for loss, one sack, one fumble recovery, and four quarterback hits so far.
Phillips has been an electric EDGE rusher throughout his career, and when healthy, could be one of the more dynamic players at the position. However, between an Achilles injury in 2023 and a knee injury in 2024, along with injuries he suffered in college (which led to a brief retirement), Phillips may not be able to "cash out" on his next contract.
While history always plays a role in contract negotiation, NFL executives can also be blind to such issues and fall back on the mentality of "what have you done for me recently". It's unclear whether Phillips can keep up his torrid pace in the NFC East, and if he does, the NFL (specifically the Eagles) will look past his injury history.
NFL Power Rankings for every division: NFC North isn't the powerhouse we thought
The 2025 NFL season is roughly two-thirds complete, which means the league is splitting into two distinct groups — those teams with their sights set on the postseason, and those happy to fall headlong into 2026 NFL Draft speculation.
Each division has its share of over- and underachievers, but the goal of this article is to lay out the NFL's competitive map to determine which division can claim the best combination of talent and Super Bowl intent. That means we are ranking each division as a holistic entity, from the least compelling to the most stacked. Let's dive in.
8. NFC South
|
Rank |
Team |
Record |
|---|---|---|
|
1 |
Tampa Bay Buccaneers |
6-4 |
|
2 |
Carolina Panthers |
6-5 |
|
3 |
Atlanta Falcons |
3-7 |
|
4 |
New Orleans Saints |
2-8 |
This was, unfortunately, an extremely predictable place for the NFC South to end up. The Tampa Bay Buccaneers are no joke, as this offense can still reach exciting heights behind Baker Mayfield. But injuries have taken their toll across the board and Tampa feels more like a first round exit than a meaningful threat to topple NFC division leaders elsewhere.
Credit, where it's due, to the Carolina Panthers for at least giving the NFC South a second "real" team. Carolina's ambitions peak at a wild card berth, if that, but Bryce Young set a franchise record with 488 passing yards in Sunday's comeback win over the Falcons. Dave Canales has figured something out with this offense despite his quarterback's limitations and the Panthers own the 13th-ranked scoring defense. This team can muck it up and win ugly.
There might not be a wider gap between talent and production in the NFL than with the Atlanta Falcons. The offense is littered with first-round picks and dynamic playmakers, but Michael Penix Jr. looks a step behind on half his throws (and I wouldn't expect meaningful improvement under Kirk Cousins). The defense is incredible, and yet Atlanta still has a maddening habit of letting its foot off the gas pedal late in games.
The New Orleans Saints are looking for that No. 1 pick. Godspeed.
7. AFC North
|
Rank |
Team |
Record |
|---|---|---|
|
1 |
Pittsburgh Steelers |
6-4 |
|
2 |
Baltimore Ravens |
5-5 |
|
3 |
Cincinnati Bengals |
3-7 |
|
4 |
Cleveland Browns |
2-8 |
The Pittsburgh Steelers' offense came back to life in a resounding win over the shorthanded Cincinnati Bengals — noteworthy, as Mason Rudolph took over mid-game following an Aaron Rodgers wrist injury. But then again, it's the Bengals defense, so there's only so much we can take away. The Steelers' defense, meanwhile, has dramatically fallen short of expectations and this offense is beginning to crack as Rodgers' odometer ticks up.
If there's any real hope for the NFC North this season, it's the Baltimore Ravens. Lamar Jackson is healthy and Baltimore squeaked out its fourth straight win on Sunday against the Cleveland Browns, despite the offensive line struggling to contain Cleveland's elite pass rush. Jackson has not looked fully himself amid injuries in 2025, but that roster is stacked top to bottom. As Jackson rounds into form, Baltimore could easily cruise past Pittsburgh down the stretch, not unlike last season.
The Bengals can still put up points when Joe Flacco is on, but their defense is dead last in yards and points allowed. There's zero hope without Joe Burrow doing superhuman things at QB.
As for the Browns, it's the opposite problem. Cleveland ranks among the best defensive units in the NFL, led by DPOY favorite Myles Garrett. The offense is a complete letdown, however, as neither Dillon Gabriel nor Shedeur Sanders look NFL-ready.
6. NFC East
|
Rank |
Team |
Record |
|---|---|---|
|
1 |
Philadelphia Eagles |
8-2 |
|
2 |
Dallas Cowboys |
4-5-1 |
|
3 |
Washington Commanders |
3-8 |
|
4 |
New York Giants |
2-9 |
The Philadelphia Eagles have wins over Detroit, Green Bay, Tampa Bay, Kansas City and the Rams. It's fair to be more than a little skeptical of the offense, especially with AJ Brown in active rebellion, but the Eagles keep finding ways to beat quality opponents. Saquon Barkley's regression is unfortunate but predictable. This Eagles team has the personnel, especially on defense, to soar anyways.
