The Eagles have already lost multiple key players in the opening wave of 2026 free agency and the tampering window, headlined by four starters.

Who did the Eagles lose in free agency?

Quick Scoop

In the early days of the 2026 NFL free agency period, the Philadelphia Eagles have been hit hard, especially on defense. They locked up defensive tackle Jordan Davis with a big extension, but several other important pieces are headed elsewhere.

Main players the Eagles have lost

These are the core names you’re seeing across news and radio in Philly right now:

  • Jaelan Phillips (EDGE) – Star pass rusher, arguably the biggest loss; he agreed to a four‑year, 120M‑range deal with the Carolina Panthers after the Eagles were outbid despite making him a priority to keep.
  • Nakobe Dean (LB) – Defensive leader at linebacker, known for his versatility and communication; he has a three‑year, 36M deal lined up with the Las Vegas Raiders.
  • Reed Blankenship (S) – Young starting safety who developed into a back‑end staple; he’s leaving for a three‑year deal worth around 24–25M with the Houston Texans.
  • Jahan Dotson (WR) – Productive receiver who gave the offense another vertical and intermediate threat; he’s expected to (or has) sign with the Atlanta Falcons on a multi‑year deal in the mid‑teens in total value.

Local Philly coverage and sports radio are framing it as “Eagles lose four starters right before/at the start of free agency,” and day one is being described as a bad day where the team took hits and added no major outside names yet.

Key losses at a glance (HTML table)

Below is an HTML table summarizing who the Eagles lost in free agency so far:

html

<table>
  <thead>
    <tr>
      <th>Player</th>
      <th>Position</th>
      <th>New Team</th>
      <th>Reported Contract</th>
      <th>Why it Hurts the Eagles</th>
    </tr>
  </thead>
  <tbody>
    <tr>
      <td>Jaelan Phillips</td>
      <td>EDGE / DE</td>
      <td>Carolina Panthers [web:1][web:3]</td>
      <td>4 years, about $120M [web:1][web:3]</td>
      <td>Primary pass rusher, centerpiece of their edge pressure last season; losing him leaves a big hole in the front. [web:1][web:3]</td>
    </tr>
    <tr>
      <td>Nakobe Dean</td>
      <td>Linebacker</td>
      <td>Las Vegas Raiders [web:3][web:5][web:7]</td>
      <td>3 years, about $36M [web:3][web:5][web:7]</td>
      <td>Signal‑caller type linebacker with leadership and range; weakens the second level of the defense. [web:3][web:5]</td>
    </tr>
    <tr>
      <td>Reed Blankenship</td>
      <td>Safety</td>
      <td>Houston Texans [web:3][web:5]</td>
      <td>3 years, around $24.75M [web:3]</td>
      <td>Starting safety who had grown into a reliable piece in coverage and run support; thins out the secondary. [web:3][web:5]</td>
    </tr>
    <tr>
      <td>Jahan Dotson</td>
      <td>Wide Receiver</td>
      <td>Atlanta Falcons [web:3][web:5]</td>
      <td>2 years, about $15M [web:5]</td>
      <td>Depth and complementary production at receiver; losing him reduces flexibility in multi‑WR sets. [web:3][web:5]</td>
    </tr>
  </tbody>
</table>

How fans and media are reacting

Local Philly media and fan discussions are leaning toward frustration and concern right now. Sports radio segments are literally opening with fans and hosts asking if yesterday was a “bad day” for the Eagles, saying they’re “soaked” by the losses even though many expected these departures. Articles frame the Eagles as an early “loser” in free agency because they prioritized a big extension for Jordan Davis but couldn’t keep their top edge rusher and other starters.

“The Eagles lose four starters right before free agency…big holes on defense and another weapon gone on offense.”

There’s also an overlay of “trust the plan vs. panic” in fan circles: some point to cap realities and the team’s youth on defense as reasons they can afford to lose a few higher‑priced defenders, while others argue that every time the Eagles get conservative instead of aggressive, they slip out of Super Bowl contention.

Why these losses matter going into 2026

From a roster‑building perspective, the pattern is pretty clear:

  1. The defense takes the brunt of the damage.
    • Losing a pass rusher, a linebacker, and a starting safety all at once leaves every level of the defense needing help.
  1. The offense loses a useful receiver but keeps a core trench piece.
    • Locking up Jordan Davis signals a bet on winning inside on defense, but Dotson’s departure chips away at their receiver depth.
  1. The front office is clearly making hard cap choices.
    • The money offered to these players by other teams is substantial, and there are signs the Eagles decided not to chase those price points, especially for Phillips and Dean.

Going forward, the big questions for the Eagles this offseason are: who they add to replace that production, how much they lean on young players already on the roster (like Jihaad Campbell at linebacker), and whether more surprise exits or restructures are coming as the market settles.

TL;DR: In the opening stretch of 2026 free agency, the Eagles have lost Jaelan Phillips, Nakobe Dean, Reed Blankenship, and Jahan Dotson to big deals elsewhere, leaving major holes on defense and at wide receiver.

Information gathered from public forums or data available on the internet and portrayed here.