Philadelphia Eagles: Trading Jason Peters for Clowney is unconscionable
While adding Jadeveon Clowney would certainly put the Philadelphia Eagles over the top, trading Jason Peters to get a deal done is unconscionable.
If there’s one player the Philadelphia Eagles shouldn’t trade to the Houston Texans for Jadeveon Clowney, it’s Andre Dillard (more on that here).
At 23, soon to be 24-years-old, Dillard is locked up for as many as five-years for less than Clowney’s 2019 franchise tag cap-hit alone, with the potential to protect Carson Wentz‘s blindside for the next decade-plus.
However, just because Dillard is the future, that doesn’t mean the Eagles should turn their backs on their past – or the present.
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You see, with Clowney’s tenure in Texas all but over – especially after the team let it leak that he was very much on the trade block – many have speculated that the Eagles could be a perfect partner to get a deal done, as they have the best player around to make such a move happen: Nine-time Pro Bowler Jason Peters.
As Chris Simms pointed out on Unbuttoned, a deal of Clowney for Peters fills an obvious need for both parties, and even makes sense from a risk-reward standpoint, as both players have had their share of injuries over the last few seasons.
And on paper, the move makes sense from a value standpoint, as the Texans have one of the worst lines in the league, and a promising young quarterback who doesn’t want to run for his life every play, but even if the deal could help both parties, it just feels wrong to allow an all-time great like Peters walk out the door on any terms other than his own.
The team kind of owes him that.
Since arriving in Philadelphia in 2009 via trade – a trade that cost the Eagles a first, fourth, and sixth-round pick – Peters has been the consummate professional, and among the best players in the league at his position.
Sure, he’s been paid handsomely for his services, to the tune of almost $100 million, but Peters hasn’t let that number go to his head. No, through it all, Peters has remained committed to helping the players around him get better and better with each passing week – while amending his contract a number of times for free up additional cap space.
It’s entirely possible the Eagles don’t win the Super Bowl in January of 2018 with Halapoulivaati Vaitai at left tackle if it wasn’t for Peters’ tutelage from the sidelines.
If Dillard is such a high priority for the Eagles in 2020 and beyond, wouldn’t it make sense to have Peters give him the same treatment, even if it’s only for one season?
Next. Trading Andre Dillard would be absolutely insane. dark
With no opportunity to sign Clowney to an extension, and a big ‘ole question mark surrounding his long-term compensation, it just feels wrong to imagine the Philadelphia Eagles trading their longest-tenured player to a completely foreign team on the eve of his retirement. Jason Peters deserves better than that.