When news broke that Jaelan Phillips had been traded to the Philadelphia Eagles for a third-round pick, few were as excited about the addition as Jalen Hurts, the franchise quarterback who was sacked once and hit twice by the former first-round pick back in 2023.

Discussing what it means to add Phillips to the roster with reporters before the Eagles' Monday Night Football showdown against the Green Bay Packers, Hurts noted that he's happy to have the former Dolphin on his sideline instead of with the opposition, as he brings a competitiveness that fits right in with the Philly ethos.

“He’s a h*ll of a player. You see that from being on the other side of the ball. It’s always cool to have one of those guys on your side. With his competitive character, just being here a short period of time, he’s just focused on how he can contribute,” Hurts explained via John Clark. “You go to sleep one day and you wake up in a different situation. I know he’s excited about that. It’s about being all in. And getting better as the season goes on. He’s excited to do something special.”

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Standing 6-foot-5, 263 pounds with long arms, a relentless motor, and a unique ability to remain effective against the run and the pass, Phillips really does check all of the boxes teams look for in a modern-day 3-4 outside linebacker. If he didn't have an extensive injury history, Phillips likely wouldn't even be on Philadelphia's roster today, instead having signed a long-term extension in Miami, but fortunately, the Dolphins' loss is the Eagles' gain. If Phillips can just stay healthy, which is a big if, who knows? Maybe he really is the missing piece in Philadelphia's Super Bowl formula, making up for the loss of Josh Sweat and his seven sacks in free agency.