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November 04, 2024

3 players who make sense for the Eagles at the trade deadline, 2.0

The Eagles are contenders and should be buying in some capacity this week on the trade market.

Eagles NFL
110424CalaisCampbell Sam Navarro/Imagn Images

Dolphins defensive lineman Calais Campbell

The 6-2 Philadelphia Eagles will likely be buyers at the November 5 trade deadline, as usual. 

A couple weeks ago, we rounded up all of Howie Roseman's trade deadline deals since he reassumed his general manager position in 2016, and we ranked the Eagles' biggest needs, if you're interested in that. You can also find out first version of trade deadline deals that make sense here.

Calais Campbell (38), DL, Dolphins (6'8, 307)

Campbell is 38 years old, but still productive. He had 36 tackles and 5.5 sacks in 2022 with Baltimore, 56 tackles and 6.5 sacks in 2023 with Atlanta, and he has 28 tackles and 2 sacks in 8 games with Miami so far in 2024. For what it's worth, PFF has Campbell graded as the 5th best defensive lineman in the NFL.

The Eagles got a bit of a boost from the additions of Linval Joseph and Ndamukong Suh about midway through the 2022 season, and Campbell could function in a similar capacity as a half-season / playoff rental.

Campbell is a versatile lineman who can play on the edge or on the interior, and the Eagles could use more depth at both spots.

Estimated cost: I dunno, a 5, with a 7 coming back along with Campbell?

Kendrick Bourne (29), WR, Patriots (6'1, 205)

Bourne revealed before joint practices with the Eagles in 2021 that the Eagles had interest in signing him earlier that offseason in free agency, but the Patriots offered him more money. So, you know, the Eagles like Bourne, or at least they did at one time.

Bourne has been something of a career No. 3 receiver who played for four seasons in San Francisco, and is now in his fourth season in New England. His career stats: 

 Kendrick BourneTar Rec Yards YPC TD 
 2017 (SF)34 16 257 16.1 
 2018 (SF)66 42 487 11.6 
 2019 (SF)44 30 358 11.9 
 2020 (SF)74 49 667 13.6 
 2021 (NE)70 55 800 14.5 
 2022 (NE)48 35 434 12.4 
 2023 (NE)55 37 406 11.0 
 2024 (NE)29 7.3 
TOTAL 399 268 3438 12.8 21 


Bourne has an excellent 8.6 yards per target average over his career. Quarterbacks also have a 67.2 completion percentage when targeting Bourne. When the ball comes his way, good things tend to happen. That is particularly notable in Bourne's case, because he has played with a lot of crappy quarterbacks. 

• 2017: Jimmy Garoppolo, C.J. Beathard, and Brian Hoyer
• 2018: Jimmy Garoppolo, C.J. Beathard, and Nick Mullens
• 2019: Jimmy Garoppolo
• 2020: Jimmy Garoppolo, C.J. Beathard, and Nick Mullens
• 2021: Mac Jones
• 2022: Mac Jones and Bailey Zappe
• 2023: Mac Jones and Bailey Zappe
• 2024: Jacoby Brissett and Drake Maye

He also doesn't require a lot of attention, as he has averaged 3.9 targets per game over his career. He can be a guy who complements target hogs A.J. Brown and DeVonta Smith by simply making the plays that come his way.

On the downside, he is coming off a 2023 ACL tear suffered in Week 8, and has just 8 catches for 70 yards in 5 games this season, though he did contribute 4 catches for 41 yards on Sunday against the Titans.

Pats receivers K.J. Osborn and Tyquan Thornton also make sense.

Estimated cost: Bourne has a $5.5 million salary in 2025. A rebuilding team like the Patriots will almost certainly release Bourne before he ever sees that money, so they may as well get whatever they can for him now. Something like a 7th round pick in 2026 should be enough to get the Patriots to give him up, assuming they don't get any better offers.

Kenyon Green (23), OG, Texans (6'4, 325)

Did you happen to catch the Texans' Thursday night loss to the Jets Week 9? If so, you saw Green getting wrecked all night by Quinnen Williams, before exiting the game with a shoulder injury. Green's season is likely over, but he should be good to go for 2025.

Green was the 15th overall pick in the 2022 draft. He struggled as a rookie, and missed the entire 2023 season with a torn labrum. Before he was lost for the season in 2024, he was benched, and only got his job back because his replacement got hurt.

Sounds like a real gem! So, uhhh, why exactly should the Eagles trade for this oft-injured bust, Jimmy? Well...

  1. The Eagles had him in for a pre-draft visit in 2022, so there's documented interest there.
  2. They employ the best developer of offensive linemen possibly in the world.
  3. Green is still only 23 years old (younger than some guys who will be available in the 2025 draft).
  4. The Eagles had success this season with another oft-injured bust in Mekhi Becton. 

Green has talent, but for whatever reason it just just did not work out in Houston. Maybe Jeff Stoutland can get something out of him next season?

Estimated cost: The Texans are desperate for offensive line help. Darian Kinnard had some decent preseason tape for the Eagles, and he's at least a warm body. The Eagles don't really have much of a need for Kinnard after adding Jack Driscoll to the 53-man roster, and the Texans might be happy just to get Green off their books.


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