Eagles Cut Bait on Failed Defender in Projected Trade
By Jovan Alford
After a disastrous showing by the Philadelphia Eagles’ secondary last season, the team decided to revamp it in the offseason by bringing in new defensive coordinator Vic Fangio and adding a few new members to the cornerback room.
The Eagles made it a point of emphasis to use their first two picks in the 2024 NFL Draft at the cornerback spot, taking Quinyon Mitchell and Cooper DeJean. Mitchell and DeJean will likely be competing for starting roles, which means veteran James Bradberry could be the odd man out.
Bradberry is coming off a horrible 2023 season after playing well in 2022, giving the Eagles one of the better cornerbacks duo with him and Darius Slay. However, Bradberry couldn’t recapture that magic and opposing quarterbacks took advantage of him, consistently targeting him in key situations.
The 30-year-old cornerback had 54 combined tackles, 13 pass deflections, an interception, and a fumble recovery. Bradberry also produced a 59.4 completion percentage allowed on target, a 114.3 pass rating allowed when targeted (career-high), and gave up 11 receiving touchdowns (career-worst).
Based on his performance last season plus the Eagles deciding to give Bradberry reps at safety at minicamp, it looks like his days with the team are numbered. If GM Howie Roseman decides to move on from Bradberry, Bleacher Report’s Gary Davenport likes the Jacksonville Jaguars to swoop in.
In this projected trade, Davenport has the Eagles trading Bradberry to the Jags for a sixth-round pick in the 2025 NFL Draft. If Philly could get a Day 3 pick in return for the veteran defensive back, they should consider it. We saw the Eagles use multiple Day 3 picks in the 2024 draft to bolster various positions.
As we mentioned earlier, the Eagles have an abundance of young talent in the secondary and it would be best for them to get them on the field quickly rather than putting Bradberry back on the field in a potential reserve safety role.
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