Report: Eagles in Trade Market for Corners
Source: Jamie Squire/Getty Images North America
So, it appears this the new regime in Philadelphia will not be playing games when it comes to their roster. It's been long speculated that the team has been unimpressed with their receiving corps this year, and last week's move for Dorial Green-Beckham solidifies that speculation. Well, it's a new week, and it appears that another move could soon be on the horizon. Jason La Canfora of CBSSports is reporting that the Birds are currently scouring the market, looking to improve the cornerback position. In the words of La Canfora..
"The Eagles aren't done wheeling and dealing. Not by a long shot. Having spent a load to keep their own players and very short on draft picks after the trade for Wentz, aggressive general manager Howie Roseman will continue trying to upgrade via trade.
That move for Dorial Green-Beckham is just a portal into Roseman's thinking there -- looking for recent draft picks from other teams who haven't panned out who could fill a position of need in Philly and are young and cheap labor.
The Eagles were looking for linebackers for a while before settling on signing free agent Stephen Tulloch. They've also been sniffing around on corners, and other general managers get the sense that Roseman is always working the trade angle and trying to see who could become available.
I'd put the over/under at two on trades this team makes before the Eagles take the practice field a few days before the start of the regular season. They will be very active during the roster cutdown period, trust me."
Only a week after they basically admitted that they weren't ready to fully place their trust in their current crop of receivers, it seems that they're now saying the same about the cornerback position. Cornerback has long been a position of question since the days of Lito Sheppard and Sheldon Brown. Shortly after the era of Brown & Sheppard, the Eagles had struck gold with the acquisition of Asante Samuel -- a move that paid major dividends. After moving on from Samuel though, it's been a revolving door of players. Guys like Nnamdi Asomugha (*shudders*), Bradley Fletcher, Joselio Hanson (*vomits*), Cary Williams, and Dominique Rogers-Cromartie have all been handed the keys to the position, but fell flat on theirs faces in the process.
La Canfora doesn't go into details on any potential names, but he does interestingly mention that the Eagles are searching for "recent draft picks" that "haven't panned out." Going on those two phrases, there are a couple of names that come to mind. After sifting through the past few draft classes, the top name that stands out to me is Cleveland Browns cornerback Justin Gilbert. Gilbert came out of college as the top defensive back in the nation, from Oklahoma State. At Oklahoma State, Gilbert was a unanimous All-American in 2013, as well as earning a first-team All-Big 12 nomination. He also earned second-team All-Big 12 nomination. Additionally, Gilbert was named a finalist for the Jim Thorpe Award in 2013. Since his arrival in the NFL though, those talents haven't transitioned so easy. Gilbert has struggled mightily through his first two seasons, so much to the point that there's speculation that the Browns may release him. At only 24-years-old, Gilbert's still more than young enough to turn the corner. For the Eagles, Gilbert could be an excellent low-risk/high-reward option.
Another name that comes to mind is the 11th overall selection in the 2015 NFL Draft, Trae Waynes. Similar to Gilbert, Waynes was the first defensive back taken in the 2015 draft. The former Michigan State Spartan came out of college with a lot of promise, but has failed to put it all together. He hasn't struggled as bad as Gilbert has, but Waynes has dealt with his share. With veterans Captain Munnerlyn and Terrance Newman breathing down his neck, Waynes must show this preseason that he's capable of being a quality starting cornerback, or he may become the dreaded "e" word -- expendable. In the event of a trade, it could take a piece like Mychal Kendricks to seal the deal. Whether you believe that's a fair price, well, that's your opinion. It all hinges on the Eagles confidence in Waynes and his ability, though.
Darqueze Dennard is another name that comes to mind. The year before fellow teammate Trae Waynes went 11th overall to the Minnesota Vikings, Dennard was taken by the Cincinnati Bengals with the 24th overall pick in the 2014 NFL Draft. Both Waynes and Dennard were starters for the Spartans in Dennard's final season in 2013. At Michigan State, Dennard was a highly-decorated defensive back. He was named Big-Ten Defensive Player of the Year in 2013, won both the Jim Thorpe and Jack Tatum awards in the same year, was named a consensus All-American in 2013, and earned back-to-back first-team All-Big Ten nominations in 2012 and '13. Since joining the Bengals, Dennard's progress has stagnated a bit, as he's constantly been battling injuries. In each of his first three seasons with Cincinnati, Dennard has suffered injuries to his hip and hamstring in 2014, his groin and shoulder in 2015, and now, it's his ankle. Now, I know what you're thinking. Why would the Eagles consider such an injury-prone player? If you're among the ones asking that question, I advise you to watch the above video. It'll answer all of you're questions, and then some.
The final name that came to my mind, is a product of one of many schools that has been referred to as "Secondary U." For those familiar with the LSU football program, you're aware of just how many quality defensive backs that the program has produced over the past decade. Since the 2007 draft, the LSU program has given us names like LaRon Landry, Patrick Peterson, Tyrann Mathieu, Ron Brooks, Morris Claiborne, and the man that I am referring to with this paragraph -- Jalen Collins. Collins was one of many names that has come from LSU, and was obviously overshadowed by the some of the bigger names to have come from the program. Once thought to be a first-round pick, Collins was taken by the Atlanta Falcons in the early second-round of the 2015 draft. His 2015 campaign was completely underwhelming, as Collins only tallied 17 tackles. He figured to take on larger responsibilities this year, as the team's nickel back. Unfortunately, Collins was busted for the use of performance-enhancing drugs, and will be unavailable for the first four games of the year. This one seems like more of stretch than the others given his suspension, but Collins is capable of high-quality play when he is on the field. Should the Eagles travel down this road, I can't necessarily say I would have an issue.
La Canfora basically said that he believes that the Eagles have another trade in them. Given the uncertainty of the starting corner, and the questionable depth behind them, I'd say a trade seems more likely than not. When it comes to trade talks though, it'll be interesting to see what the Eagles are willing to give up. With only $7.8 million in available cap space, and limited assets, Howie Roseman may have to dig deep, and get creative in trade talks. After this offseason though, I am actually comfortable putting my trust in Howie.
