Eagles Have Kicker Trade Opportunity After Thursday's NFL Firing

The Eagles' roster for the playoffs is essentially already determined and while the organization is focused on the Packers matchup, it's never too soon to start thinking about upgrades for the 2025 roster.

Veteran kicker Jake Elliot has struggled mightily this season and is a prime candidate to be cut. Luckily for Philadelphia, one potential trade option could be available after Thursday's firing news.

The Raiders cleaned house, firing both head coach Antonio Pierce and general manager Tom Telesco to start a full rebuild. All-Pro kicker Daniel Carlson is entering the last year of his contract, so Las Vegas could entertain trading him to recoup value before he leaves anyway. If that happens, Howie Roseman and the Eagles are an ideal fit.

Eagles Could Trade for K Daniel Carlson After Raiders Clean House

Elliot would make a kick later in that game to finish the season making 77.8% of his field goals, but that ranked a paltry 34th in the league. Carlson, on the other hand, made 85% of his field goals and drilled seven of 11 attempts from 50+ yards compared to Elliot hitting just one of his seven.

Trade compensation could be an issue, though it's hard to overstate how impactful it is to have a kicker you feel comfortable from a distance with. We've seen numerous examples of how important reliable kickers are in the playoffs. Jake Moody and Harrison Butker, for example, both nailed kicks from beyond 50 yards in last year's Super Bowl.

This is a business and Philadelphia needs to make the best football decisions. Elliot has spent his entire career with the organization, though this was the second-worst year of his eight-year tenure. The 29-year-old's best days could be behind him and if that's the case, pouncing on Carlson makes a lot of sense.

The Eagles would eat a dead cap hit of over $5 million to cut Elliot, though perhaps he could be involved in the trade since the Raiders are likely trying to lose anyway. Carlson was an All-Pro in 2022 and 2023, clearly representing a better option, and acquiring him would give Philadelphia a chance to extend him before someone else offers a contract.

It'd hurt to say goodbye to someone like Elliot, but it'll hurt a lot more if his kicks wind up costing the Eagles a Super Bowl appearance. At this point, it seems best for both sides to start fresh and Carlson has been one of the NFL's best kickers for years.

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