August 22, 2021
There is still time to make changes to the roster before the start of the regular season — in fact, it has to happen. Roster cuts are rapidly approaching and the Eagles, like every team, will need to be down to 80 players by Tuesday. A week later, that number will drop to 53.
But cuts aren't the only changes that can be made. There's nothing to say, despite the preseason being two-thirds of the way over, that Howie Roseman and the Eagles can't add anyone before they open the regular season against the Falcons on September 12. And the Birds, still with the worst odds to win the NFC East according to Pickswise, certainly have areas of the roster that could still use an upgrade.
One of those areas is wide receiver, where the Birds have already invested significant resources, using each of their last two first-round picks on the position, first taking Jalen Reagor in 2020 and then DeVonta Smith in 2021. Even before that, the Eagles took J.J. Arcega-Whiteside with their second-round pick in 2019. In fact, they've drafted five receivers in the last three years.
Yet questions still remain, especially with the team lacking a true veteran presence at the position. Of the players projected to make the roster, the player with the most experience is Greg Ward, who has appeared in 23 games over his first two season.
So will the Eagles invest more future resources at wideout in an effort to give Jalen Hurts the best chance to thrive in 2021? Not according to a new report from Mike Kaye of NJ.com — but that doesn't they won't consider making and upgrade at some point. Here's more from Kaye:
Despite the Eagles’ wide receiver depth chart lacking in proven talent, the team isn’t expected to trade future assets for upgrades at the position, a person with knowledge of the team’s thinking told NJ Advance Media on Sunday.
The source -- who was granted anonymity as they weren’t allowed to speak openly about the team’s front-office strategy -- said a move involving 2022 assets isn’t likely, as the Eagles are taking a long-term approach to what owner Jeffrey Lurie categorized as a “transition period” in January.
While the source shrugged off the idea of a wide receiver trade involving draft picks, there’s still a possibility that the Eagles could deal a player at another position for a wideout on another team. GM Howie Roseman has made several player-for-player trades during training camp and the preseason over the years. [nj.com]
He's right. Roseman has made some player-for-player deals over the years, but they typically haven't been for big-name players. Of course, that's not likely what the Eagles are going after here, as the they are certainly not looking to take snaps or targets away from the likes of Smith, Reagor and training camp breakout star Quez Watkins.
There is one interesting name out there, as it was reported a few weeks back that Steelers wideout James Washington was looking for a fresh start and had requested a trade over his lack of playing time in 2020. Pittsburgh is deep at the position, and considering Washington wasn't a regular in 2020, would probably be open to moving him at the right price — although that price could be a draft pick, the exact thing the Eagles don't want to part with.
There are others as well. According to Kaye, "wideouts like Andy Isabella of the Arizona Cardinals or Keelan Cole of the Jets could be available for the right price, despite neither team openly shopping the players on the trade block."
That same source told Kaye that the Jets, who lost edge rusher Carl Lawson to a season-ending injury, are looking for pass rush help — an area in which the Eagles have a bit of depth — and conveniently the two teams will not only face off in joint practices and a preseason game this week, but there's a strong front office connection there with Joe Douglas, formerly Roseman's righthand man, running the show up in New York.
Beyond pass rusher, the Eagles obviously have guys like Zach Ertz who has already been on the block and could be the missing piece on a team lacking a solid tight end. They also have Andre Dillard, the former first-round pick who lost the battle for the starting left tackle job to former seventh-round pick Jordan Mailata. The Eagles would obviously like to get something better than a Day 3 pick back for Dillard, and perhaps this is a way to make that happen.
You can head on over to NJ.com to read Kaye's full report, here.
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