With the NFL Trade Deadline just around the corner, teams across the NFL will be looking for any opportunities to make late additions to their roster as well as cashing in on players before contracts expire. The Philadelphia Eagles are no exception and Howie Roseman will undoubtedly be scouring the markets for any opportunity.
The Birds have enjoyed a real resurgence as of late, dispersing of the bye week blues and honing in on the Commanders at the top of the NFC East. While there are some players worth targeting, it is worth remembering that the roster is stacked and it hasn’t been a lack of talent that’s been the issue.
With a flurry of large contracts set to snowball over the coming years, it could be worth generating a few draft picks to keep the cycle moving. Here are 3 players who Howie Roseman might consider trading for the right price.
3 Eagles players potentially on the trade block
Kenny Gainwell Jr.
This would be a sad goodbye. Gainwell has been nothing but solid during his time with the Eagles, but he is now in the final year of his rookie contract, nestled behind Saquon Barkley on the depth chart, and the team is already getting a lot of promising production from rookie RB Will Shipley.
Gainwell could challenge for a solid RB2 role on most teams and is a fringe starter in all reality, but he isn’t going to get those opportunities in the City of Brotherly Love. A running back-needy team might be willing to give the Eagles a low-round pick in exchange for a rental of the Memphis product, and with Shipley only growing in confidence, it wouldn’t be the worst move to make for Howie Roseman.
Darius Slay
This is a double-edged sword. I’ve been pretty vocal about my concerns when it comes to Darius Slay, but with the team chasing the postseason and only getting better, rocking the boat by trading a captain and a leader in the secondary would be a risky decision. It’s also one that would punish them in terms of dead cap space, with the Eagles inheriting over $22M in dead money should they decide to move on from the veteran.
However, with Quinyon Mitchell rapidly developing and the likes of Kelee Ringo and Isaiah Rodgers waiting in the wings, getting draft capital for a player who could well be in his last season with the team anyway, and turning the opportunities over to the youth (Mitchell at CB1, Ringo/Rodgers CB2), could be something that benefits those individuals in the long run.
Josh Sweat
The only way Sweat is moved is if the Eagles deem it neccesary to bring in a stronger starter. The EDGE position is in a real state of flux and although production is picking up, they could benefit from some reliable help. Names like Maxx Crosby and Trey Hendrickson have been dangled in trade talks over the last few weeks, and even someone such as Za’Darius Smith would mark a significant upgrade.
The Eagles can’t bring in a big-name EDGE without taking away snaps from the likes of Nolan Smith and Bryce Huff, unless they parlay the move with a trade like this. Sweat is only on a one-year deal and his role on the team is clear. The issue is that the Eagles essentially have an army of rotational edge rushers with none really strong enough to carry the torch throughout long drives (with the exception of an aging BG).
If Philadelphia could somehow lure Hendrickson away from Cincy, or find a veteran upgrade elsewhere (Clowney, Smith etc.), then moving Sweat to facilitate a truly productive starting EDGE would make sense.
Mandatory Credit: Katie Stratman-Imagn Images
