NFL Trade Deadline: Six Moves The Eagles Could Make

Michael Floyd. (USA TODAY Sports)

NFL trade deadline day is here. Once Tuesday’s 4:00 p.m. Eastern deadline passes, trading is no longer allowed for the rest of the 2016 season.

The NFL trade deadline is typically uneventful compared to other major professional sporting leagues. It typically takes longer for football players to adjust to new teams and new schemes than it does with players in the plug-and-play natures of the NBA and the MLB, for example.

Still, there could be some action before the deadline, and it might involve the Philadelphia Eagles making a move. The Eagles lead the league in trades since 2010 with 35. The next closest teams haven’t even traded with half the frequency of Philadelphia. Howie Roseman is one of the most aggressive executives in football.

Another reason to believe the Eagles could make a trade is due to the trade rumors they’ve been involved in. Pro Football Talk reports the Eagles are still looking to trade for a wide receiver despite Doug Pederson’s insistence the team is happy with the players on their 53-man roster.

The Eagles desperately need a new pass catcher given their lackluster receiving corps. Here’s a list of receivers the Eagles could reasonably have interest in acquiring before the deadline passes.

1 – Torrey Smith, 49ers

The Eagles’ interest in Smith was first reported last week. The 49ers could be looking to sell off players after a disappointing start to their season. Smith makes sense for Philadelphia because the 27-year-old currently ranks second among active NFL players in career average yards per reception. In other words, Smith would give the Eagles a vertical threat they sorely lack. Adding Smith would mean taking on his $2.9 million cap hit for 2016 along with his $8 million hit for the next three seasons.

2 – Alshon Jeffrey, Bears

One NFL insider said he wouldn’t rule out Roseman inquiring about Jeffrey before the deadline. While that may be true, a trade seems unrealistic due to Jeffrey’s contract situation. Jeffrey, 26, is playing on the franchise tag this season. The Eagles can’t work out a new deal with him during the season so trading for him would be risky because Jeffrey could decide to walk at the end of the year. Tagging Jeffrey for a second time in a row to prevent him from leaving would not be cap-friendly. The cost to acquire Jeffrey from Chicago could be prohibitive.

3 – Michael Floyd, Cardinals

Floyd, 26, has seemingly fallen out of favor in Arizona. His snaps are down and so are his targets. He’s been openly criticized by Bruce Arians for “pressing too much” this season. The 2012 first-round pick is in the last year of his contract so there’s pressure on him to perform. Floyd has 19 receptions for 257 yards and three touchdowns so far this year. Given his struggles, he would hardly be an instant fix for the Eagles. But taking a flyer on him could be worth a shot at a low cost.

4 – Brandon Marshall, Jets

The Jets might not be willing to sell Marshall after winning their last two games and getting up to 3-5. They might believe they’re still alive. If New York wants to get a pick for their 32-year-old receiver, however, now could be the time to do it. Albert Breer of The MMQB speculated the Eagles might be interested in Marshall last week. The feeling here is Marshall doesn’t get moved, though.

As the deadline approaches, a lot of focus is on the Eagles acquiring a player from another team. But what if the Eagles decide to trade some of their own talent? Sitting at a 4-3 record, it’s not like the Birds will be looking to have a fire-sale. But the Eagles do have some players who could be on their way out.

5 – Connor Barwin

The Eagles have publicly talked about decreasing Barwin’s playing time. Barwin is a great locker room presence but it’s fair to question his effectiveness in the 4-3 scheme. The 30-year-old defensive end has three sacks and eight tackles through seven games. He only had one sack through the first five weeks. Trading Barwin would free up more snaps for Vinny Curry, who received a contract extension in the offseason. A trade would also free up over $6 million in cap space, per Over The Cap.

6 – Nelson Agholor

Agholor has been a very big disappointment for Philadelphia. The 2015 first-round pick isn’t giving the Eagles very much value. He’s struggled to show any kind of real potential. Pederson admitted he was “disappointed” by Agholor’s postgame comments following the Eagles’ loss to Dallas. Trading Agholor doesn’t make the most sense from a financial perspective because the Eagles would take a cap hit of over $1.6 million. Maybe the Eagles could convince Chip Kelly, who drafted Agholor last season, to take Agholor in a trade for Torrey Smith.