Last week, I wrote about two potential trades the Eagles could pull off before the November 3 trade deadline. You can check that out here.
One of those trades involved tight end Zach Ertz, who we now know cannot be traded due to the ‘minor injury’ designation the organization gave him upon placing him on IR. So with that potential trade thrown out the window, I figured it’s times to revise the list a little and provide two more trades that are more likely.
The NFC East is there for the taking and the Eagles are the clear favorite to take the division crown as we enter Week 8. But the team still has obvious flaws, so it’s hard to envision them making much noise once they reach the postseason. They’ll have an opportunity to shore up some of those holes at the trade deadline, and knowing Howie, he’s probably scouring the NFL landscape for potential trades as I write this.
With the deadline just a week away, here are two more trades for Howie to consider.
Eagles trade 2021 6th round pick to Lions for RB Bo Scarbrough
Despite Boston Scott’s solid performance and miraculous game winning touchdown last week against the Giants, the Eagles are still in need of running back depth. Miles Sanders has been electric when healthy, but he’s missed two games so far this season and could miss this week’s pivotal contest against the Dallas Cowboys. Scott is a really nice receiving weapon and a dangerous runner in space, but he’s not someone you can turn and hand the ball to on a consistent basis.
The Eagles may have been waiting for Corey Clement to re-emerge as the all-purpose back he was during the 2017 season, but he’s shown little to nothing in seven games this season.
This offense needs a tough back who can pound the defense into submission late in games and someone who can capitalize on short yardage situations. Detroit Lions back Bo Scarbrough could be that guy.
The 24-year-old has been buried on the Lions depth chart. He played well at the end of the 2019 season with Kerryon Johnson sidelined with an injury, racking up 377 yards on the ground, one touchdown, and an average of 4.2 yards per carry. With the arrival of rookie D’Andre Swift and veteran Adrian Peterson, Scarbrough hasn’t seen a single snap in 2020 for Detroit.
The Lions seem dead set on moving forward with Swift as their feature back, making Scarbrough expendable. It probably wouldn’t take much to pry the former 7th round pick away from Detroit. He would be the perfect complement to Sanders and Scott.
Eagles trade 2021 5th round pick to Jets for LB Avery Williamson
In my last trade piece, I wrote about acquiring Texans linebacker Zach Cunningham. Trading for Cunningham would have long-term implications for the Eagles since he just signed a four-year extension. The Eagles would be tied to Cunningham for at least a few seasons if they were to trade for him, which can be a dicey proposition for any team.
If Cunningham were to come in and completely drop the ball, the Eagles would be stuck paying yet another underperforming veteran player. The organization just can’t afford to take that big of a chance unless they whole heartedly believe said player is the answer to their problems. The less risky option, would be trading for someone like Jets linebacker Avery Williamson.
Williamson has been rumored to get cut or traded essentially all season, and with the way the Jets season’s going, they’ll probably try to unload as much money as possible before the trade deadline. Williamson signed a three-year, $22.5 million deal with the Jets before the 2018 season. After tearing his ACL last season, Williamson took a pay cut to stay with the team this year. With a cap hit of just $4.75, the Eagles can afford to make this move. And if they don’t like what they see out of Williamson, they can let him walk when his contract is up at the end of the year.
Williamson has tallied 50 total tackles and one interception this season from the inside linebacker position. Pro Football Focus currently has him ranked as the 28th best inside linebacker in the league. For reference, Nate Gerry currently ranks as the 61st best inside linebacker in the NFL according to PFF. Replacing Gerry with a veteran like Williamson would undoubtedly be an upgrade, and it would give the linebacker room the veteran presence that they desperately need.
If Williamson proves he isn’t much of an improvement over Gerry, the Eagles can cut their losses after the season and try to fully address the hole during the offseason. But if he comes in and does make a difference, then the Eagles will have the first shot at re-signing him, and then they’ll have their starting inside linebacker for the next few seasons. It’s a win-win situation, and one that I believe Howie would be willing to take a chance on.