Trade candidates
Trades have become more prevalent in the NFL in recent years, so don’t be surprised if Howie is on the phones right now trying to make a deal for a promising linebacker.
Benardrick McKinney
It’s hard to believe a team would trade their second most productive tackler, but for the Texans to recoup any draft compensation they may have to consider doing so.
The Texans only have six draft picks in the 2020 draft, after trading away their first this year for Laremy Tunsil.
McKinney could fetch them a day two pick (second or third). If that’s the price, especially the third round pick, Howie should jump all over it.
Devon Kennard
It’s not often that a team’s Walter Payton Man of the Year nominee is available for trade, but that’s what may happen with the Lions and Devon Kennard.
The Lions have plenty of cap space ($45 million) but they can save $5.6 million by trading the six year pro.
He hasn’t been great, but he’s been solid. As primarily a pass rusher last season, Kennard had 58 tackles, seven sacks, nine tackles for loss, and 15 QB hits.
The Eagles pass rush needs some help from the linebackers, and Kennard can provide that help. I think he could be had for a conditional day three pick.
C.J. Mosley
This might not be a popular one, seeing as his contract is ginormous, but his production before being sucked into the black hole that is the New York Jets cannot be ignored.
Between 2014-2018, he had the fifth most tackles in the league.
He was hurt for all but two games in 2019, registering nine tackles. He was signed before Joe Douglas took over as GM, so Douglas could look to move on from him despite the Baltimore connection between the two.
If traded, Mosley saves over $11 million in cap space for the Jets. If cut, his contract still counts for $12 million on their cap. Easy decision.
To take on the contract, the Jets may have to give him up for a conditional fifth rounder, with the pick escalating to a third if certain parameters are met. If the Eagles can get a healthy C.J. Mosley for the middle of their defense, they might have the next DeMeco Ryans.
Preston Brown
Since Jim Schwartz loves reuniting with former players, let’s try out another former linebacker of his.
As a member of Schwartz’s defense in Buffalo in 2014, Brown had 109 tackles and one interception as a rookie. After Schwartz left, Brown still produced. Between 2015-2017, Brown was second only to Bobby Wagner in total tackles, including a league leading 144 in 2017. He had 42 tackles in seven games for the Bengals in 2018 before losing playing time in 2019.
After being cut by the Bengals in November, he was signed by the Raiders, then waived by them, and then claimed in December by the Jaguars. He should be a cheap acquisition.
Brown was listed as an ideal trade candidate for the Eagles by Bleacher Report at the 2019 trade deadline, and he’s still an ideal fit now.
Mandatory Credit: Scott R. Galvin-USA TODAY Sports
