Eagles Avoid Losing Key Free Agents to Rival Cowboys

Philadelphia retains talent despite losing several players to big-money deals elsewhere.

Published on Mar. 10, 2026

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The Philadelphia Eagles lost three key free agents - Nakobe Dean, Jaelan Phillips, and Reed Blankenship - to lucrative contracts with other teams, but none of them chose to sign with the rival Dallas Cowboys. This was seen as a small victory for the Eagles, as the Cowboys have been a longtime nemesis and there were concerns some players might follow the Eagles' former defensive backs coach Christian Parker, who recently joined the Cowboys as their defensive coordinator.

Why it matters

The Eagles-Cowboys rivalry is one of the fiercest in the NFL, so avoiding having any of their departing free agents sign with Dallas is seen as an important win for Philadelphia. The Eagles are known for drafting and developing talent, so losing key players is always difficult, but keeping them away from a hated rival is an added bonus.

The details

While the Eagles lost Dean, Phillips, and Blankenship to big-money deals elsewhere, they were able to avoid the worst-case scenario of any of them signing with the Cowboys. Dean accepted an offer from the Raiders, while the other two players also chose teams other than Dallas. This was seen as a relief, as the Cowboys have been a thorn in the Eagles' side for years and there were concerns some players might follow the team's former defensive backs coach Christian Parker, who recently joined the Cowboys as their defensive coordinator.

  • The first day of legal tampering in the 2026 NFL free agency period was March 10, 2026.
  • The new league year officially begins on March 11, 2026, when free agent deals can be finalized.

The players

Nakobe Dean

A former Eagles linebacker who agreed to a deal with the Raiders in free agency.

Jaelan Phillips

A former Eagles defensive player who signed with a team other than the Cowboys in free agency.

Reed Blankenship

A former Eagles defensive back who left the team in free agency but did not join the Cowboys.

Christian Parker

The Eagles' former defensive backs coach who recently joined the Cowboys as their defensive coordinator.

Jalen Thompson

A safety the Cowboys acquired in free agency.

Rashan Gary

An edge rusher the Cowboys acquired from the Packers in a trade.

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What’s next

The Cowboys have two first-round draft picks in the upcoming 2026 NFL Draft, which could allow them to further bolster their roster and continue their pursuit of the Eagles in the NFC East.

The takeaway

While the Eagles lost several key free agents to other teams, the fact that none of them signed with their rival Cowboys is seen as a small victory for the organization. Maintaining talent is always a challenge, but keeping players away from a hated divisional foe is an added bonus that helps preserve the intensity of the Eagles-Cowboys rivalry.