Already making splash moves to bolster their team during the spring, the Eagles squeezed in some more during the late-summer trade window. With the Cowboys battling significant injury questions, an Eagles team that entered last season off the playoff radar has become a trendy pick to pack their home greens for a playoff game.
Considering where this franchise was coming out of the 2020 season, its current position is fascinating. One big trade moved the needle, but GM Howie Roseman — amid heavy staff turnover — led a reload effort that may have the Eagles poised to make another leap in 2022.
Trades:
The Packers’ Davante Adams trade became the biggest sliding-doors moment at the receiver position this offseason, as that deal impacted at least four teams due to Tyreek Hill‘s new contract demands following that swap. But what went down regarding the Eagles’ upgrade is not too far behind here.
After using first- or second-round picks on wideouts in three straight drafts, the Eagles returned to the veteran market to address a spot that remained a need area. The Eagles pursued Allen Robinson and Christian Kirk and were involved in the DeVante Parker trade talks. But the Rams and Cardinals, respectively, blew Robinson and Kirk away with their offers and left the Eagles still searching. Before those pursuits, Philly nearly finalized a deal for Calvin Ridley. The Falcons wideout’s gambling suspension may have changed the NFL offseason, as Brown is almost certainly not Pennsylvania-bound if that trade goes through. The Ridley near-miss occurred before Titans GM Jon Robinson and HC Mike Vrabel made statements indicating a high likelihood of Brown being a long-term Nashville resident.
When the Eagles came through with their blockbuster deal during the first round, it shook up both Philly’s receiver situation — as the franchise’s biggest receiver move since the 2004 Terrell Owens acquisition — and essentially set the market for several teams employing 2019 receiver draftees. In the months that followed, Terry McLaurin, D.K. Metcalf, Deebo Samuel and Diontae Johnson cashed in. But none topped where the Eagles went for their new weapon.
The Eagles’ $25MM-per-year extension came in well above where Brown said the Titans were willing to go — below $20MM AAV — for their top receiver, and the $56MM Philadelphia guaranteed Brown at signing topped Hill, Adams and every other receiver’s deal. The team swung and missed on Arcega-Whiteside and…