ESPN’s Seth Walder just dropped a bomb, predicting the Philadelphia Eagles are gonna trade away one of their 25-year-old edge rushers, Nolan Smith Jr. or Jalyx Hunt, during the 2027 NFL offseason. This isn’t just some random guess, either. Walder’s looking at the big picture for Howie Roseman and the Birds, and it points to some serious roster shake-ups coming after this season.
The Roster Conundrum That Forces a Tough Call
Why would the Eagles even consider parting with one of their young pass rushers, you ask? Well, the Eagles defense is absolutely stacked, man. They’ve been crushing the NFL Draft for half a decade, bringing in absolute studs like Jordan Davis, Jalen Carter, Quinyon Mitchell, and Cooper DeJean. These guys are incredible talents. The problem? Keeping all that elite talent costs a ton of cash, and Roseman’s gotta play chess, not checkers, with that salary cap. They just splurged this offseason, trading multiple late Day 2 picks to the Minnesota Vikings for edge rusher Jonathan Greenard, and he got a massive $100 million contract. Greenard’s gonna be a huge help for their pass rush, but his arrival basically seals the deal: extending both Smith and Hunt just isn’t feasible with Greenard aboard.
Smith vs. Hunt: Who’s the Odd Man Out?
So, if a trade is coming next offseason, who’s it gonna be? Both Smith and Hunt are 25, both helped the Eagles win the Super Bowl, and both are set to hit free agency at the same time. The big difference, though, is their recent performance and contract situations. Hunt absolutely blew up in the 2025 season, logging a ridiculous 6.5 sacks, 52 tackles, nine tackles for loss, and 24 quarterback hits across 17 games. He even nabbed three interceptions, including a pick-six of Carson Wentz! Dude’s still learning the position after a college switch, so his upside is probably through the roof, especially in Vic Fangio’s defense. Smith, on the other hand, played in 12 games last year while dealing with an injury, finishing with 3.0 sacks, 31 tackles, and 11 quarterback hits. Walder pegs Smith as the more likely trade candidate. Why? He’ll be on his fifth-year option next offseason, while Hunt is still on the final year of his rookie deal. Trading Smith would save the Eagles more money, which makes total sense given their cap situation.
This whole situation means Eagles fans should really soak in every single snap of the 2026 season. It could be the last time we see both Nolan Smith Jr. and Jalyx Hunt rocking that Birds uniform. Roseman’s gotta get smart draft compensation for whoever gets traded, so they’re already looking ahead to 2027. For now, enjoy the pass rush while it lasts, because big changes are brewing for Philly’s stacked defense.
This article was created with AI assistance and published under Seattle On Tap’s editorial standards. See our Editorial Policy.
Originally reported by The Sporting News.
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