The Philadelphia Eagles are the clear favorite to win the NFC East (according to TheLines.com), and as such, it's quite possible that Howie Roseman will have an itchy trigger finger at the trade deadline.
The Eagles shouldn't be buyers at the trade deadline, mind you, seeing as they are not legitimate Super Bowl contenders and they can win their craptastic division without sacrificing future draft assets. We'll see.
- MORE ON THE EAGLES
- What they're saying: Zach Ertz, Alshon Jeffery and the latest Eagles trade rumors
- Ranking the Giants' 10 worst 'gut punch' losses to the Eagles
- John McMullen: Eagles must avoid first-place trap and sell their division dreams
Anyway, everyone loves a nice hypothetical, "throwing darts" type of unlikely to actually happen "trades that make sense" post, right? Cool then. Let's do one of those, and thanks for the clicks.
Eagles WR J.J. Arcega-Whiteside for Jets LB Blake Cashman
We're already nearing "J.J. Arcega-Whiteside could use a fresh start" territory in Philly. He has accumulated just 12 catches for 214 yards and 1 TD in 22 career games after the Eagles selected him in the second round of the 2019 NFL Draft. He's also now expendable, now that Travis Fulgham has become a favorite target of Carson Wentz. Fulgham is a big receiver with a similar profile as Arcega-Whiteside, but, you know, actually productive. He is essentially what the Eagles hoped they would be getting in Arcega-Whiteside.
At receiver, the Jets have some speed guys (Breshad Perriman and Denzel Mims) as well as some slot guys (Jamison Crowder and Braxton Berrios), but they lack a bigger target. Arcega-Whiteside could be a reclamation project for the Jets, and the Joe Douglas connection in obviously there.
As for Cashman, after the Jets selected him with a fifth-round pick in the 2019 draft, Cashman was having a nice rookie season (40 tackles, 3 TFL in seven games) until he went on IR with a shoulder injury. He is slightly undersized, but has the athleticism the Eagles prioritize at linebacker:
Cashman started Week 1, but injured his groin, and went on IR. Since he returned to the field Week 6, Cashman has been a special teamer only for the Jets. At 24 years of age, Cashman can perhaps be a long-term fit, as well as a short-term upgrade, if healthy.
Eagles WR Alshon Jeffery and a 2021 fifth-round pick for the Patriots' 2021 sixth-round pick
As we have noted since early in the offseason, the Eagles would be happy to trade Jeffery for literally anything. The difference in trading Jeffery vs. releasing him would have been a difference of roughly $10 million in dead money had it happened during the offseason. It would be closer to around $5 million in savings if they got something done at the trade deadline. That added $5 million would help the Eagles' upcoming salary cap challenges in 2021.
Meanwhile, the Patriots have gotten one TD from the wide receiver position so far this season, they are absolutely loaded with cap space, and the Eagles will have already paid Jeffery approximately half of his guaranteed $9.9 million salary in 2020.
The Patriots are projected to have 10 draft picks, after compensatory picks are awarded next offseason. Their projected picks look like so:
| Round | How acquired |
| 1 | Patriots' own pick |
| 2 | Patriots' own pick |
| Pick taken away for being caught cheating for the zillionth time. | |
| 3 | Compensatory (Tom Brady) |
| 4 | Patriots' own pick |
| 4 | Compensatory (Kyle Van Noy) |
| 4 | Compensatory (Jamie Collins) |
| 5 | Patriots' own pick |
| 6 | From Cowboys (Michael Bennett) |
| 6 | Patriots' own pick |
| 7 | Patriots' own pick |
The Pats would get an extra fifth-round pick for Jeffery while the Eagles would at least maintain their same number of picks, moving from round 5 to round 6.
Eagles 2021 seventh-round pick for Falcons RB Brian Hill
Hill would give the Eagles what they currently lack in their rushing attack, which is a bigger back (6'1, 219) who can get hard yards between the tackles. In four NFL seasons, Hill has 146 carries for 681 yards (4.7 YPC) and 3 TDs, while chipping in 27-216-1 as a receiver. Here he is on a 35-yard TD run earlier this season:
Hill is scheduled to become an unrestricted free agent at the end of this season, and would cost the Eagles about a million bucks to take his contract. Obviously, the Falcons will be sellers at the deadline. They can get rid of the remaining million left on Hill's deal while securing a sure draft pick (as opposed to a less certain compensatory pick) in the process.
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