Another Layer to Nolan Smith Trade Rumors
The NFL offseason began slowly with A.J. Brown trade rumors moving at a snail’s pace. The beginning of the new league year has exploded the news cycle. The Philadelphia Eagles…
The NFL offseason began slowly with A.J. Brown trade rumors moving at a snail’s pace. The beginning of the new league year has exploded the news cycle.
The Philadelphia Eagles lost three key defensive starters in free agency. Jordan Davis already signed a lucrative extension, and Jalen Carter could be next.
The seemingly constant revolving door of young defenders, salary cap chaos, and looming decisions on high-profile Eagles have also overshadowed a sleeper storyline: Nolan Smith trade rumors.
Questions About Nolan Smith
Nolan Smith broke out during the second half of the 2024 season when the Eagles desperately needed pass rushing help. He shed questions about the notorious “bust” label most memorably in a standout performance in the NFC Wild Card Round against the Green Bay Packers.
An athletic edge rusher like Smith who can drop into coverage allows a defender from the back seven to rush the quarterback in some creative packages that characterize Vic Fangio’s scheme.
However, the Eagles face the decision whether to pick up Smith’s fifth-year rookie option this summer to keep him in Philadelphia through 2027. If they decline the option, they could pursue a trade instead of letting him play one more season with the Eagles before leaving in free agency (like so many other defensive standouts).
Barrett Brooks spoke on Unfiltered with Ricky Bottalico and Bill Colarulo about another potential concern.
“Nolan, it’s hard to go out there and count him in when he gets hurt a lot. He’s one of those guys – I love his effort, I love his enthusiasm – but he plays the game too aggressive(ly) for his body style. He’s a smaller guy, 240 pounds, but he plays the game like he’s 290. He tries to decapitate all these offensive linemen. He needs to play... more of a quick game, a fast game, as opposed to being a rough guy the way he plays.”
Photo by Emilee Chinn/Getty ImagesSmith’s habit to swarm toward the ball with a ferocious motor consistently helped the Eagles defense develop their strength forcing disruptive plays in 2024. However, he also missed five games early in the 2025 season with a injury to his triceps.
The Eagles prioritized Zack Baun and Jihaad Campbell as their future starting linebackers while another former Georgia Bulldog faced similar questions. Nakobe Dean excelled at times during his four seasons in Philadelphia, but Howie Roseman had durability concerns that made a long-term contract out of the question.
Eagles Defense Facing Weird Predicament
The need for edge rushers grew when Jaelan Phillips signed an unexpected $30 million contract with Carolina Panthers. Why, then, would Roseman subtract another edge rusher?
The personnel shuffle on defense includes enough changing parts of the puzzle to threaten anyone’s job. Even Jalen Carter trade rumors have circulated. The Eagles have drafted and developed a long list of defensive players. The reality that they'll all eventually command expensive deals forces the front office into tough decisions.
“You’ve got to go back to how you want to build the team first and foremost. What (are) your priorities in building the team because when we have this many players coming up for second contracts on their rookie deals, it’s going to be hard for us to keep all of them... You can’t only do that by playing favorites. You’ve got to also do it by your vision of how you build the team.”
-Howie Roseman
Can Smith match the performance of teammates like Davis, Quinyon Mitchell, or Cooper DeJean who will become long-term franchise cornerstones? Or will he follow former homegrown teammates like Milton Williams, Josh Sweat, or Reed Blankenship out the door after also developing into a solid NFL player who no longer fits with the Eagles under a tight cap structure?
Roseman will search for an opportunity to maximize market efficiency on a premium edge rusher with more pedigree. The possibly of adding a splashy defensive linemen is only feeding the Nolan Smith trade rumors. The Eagles might also prioritize Jalyx Hunt as a homegrown pass rusher with a similar skill set.
Any major acquisition will also result in cost casualties. The magnitude of the personnel shuffle is hard to comprehend, but it's somehow a reality for the Eagles during the 2026 offseason.
