The Philadelphia Eagles are in the midst of a mini-bye week after playing on Thursday night. This gives them additional time to figure out what has been ailing the team in recent weeks, especially on the defensive side of the ball. With only two games left before their actual bye week and the NFL trade deadline, general manager Howie Roseman must already be considering potential upgrades to the roster if the Eagles are going to return to the Super Bowl.
Fortunately, the results from Week 6 games may make it easier for the Eagles to swing for a big trade. The New York Jets, Miami Dolphins, New Orleans Saints, Tennessee Titans, Cleveland Browns, Baltimore Ravens, and Cincinnati Bengals all lost again, pushing them further down the standings when they were already at the bottom with two wins or fewer.
With only three weeks left until the deadline and several byes upcoming, it's safe to assume that several of these teams will start selling sooner rather than later. There is a benefit to moving your players earlier to get ahead of the market, and some of these teams would be wise to take advantage of that to get the maximum value for their veterans.
Eagles Have Plenty of Potential Trade Partners Emerging Before Deadline
The Eagles could find a trade partner among these teams if Roseman wants to get his team's momentum going again.
After the Za'Darius Smith retirement, the Eagles could turn to the pass rush market. Bengals star Trey Hendrickson remains the ideal target if Cincinnati decides to make a big pivot as it becomes clearer every week that they aren't going anywhere without Joe Burrow. Jets defensive end Jermaine Johnson, Saints DEs Carl Granderson and Cameron Jordan, Dolphins pass rusher Jaelan Phillips, Titans defenders Dre'Mont Jones and Arden Key could all be solid options, too.
Another pressing need is the cornerback depth. Kelee Ringo and Adoree' Jackson have both been struggling, and the Eagles would be wise to try to find a starting outside corner opposite Quinyon Mitchell. L'Jarius Sneed and Roger McCreary of the Titans or Michael Carter of the Jets could be options for the Eagles there.
Mid-season trades are generally not a panacea for struggling teams. As Dave Mangels of Bleeding Green Nation pointed out on Monday, last season's deadline transactions rarely resulted in a positive outcome for the buyers. In fact, 14 of the 18 players traded were not brought back by the teams that acquired them. This could cause Roseman to be less aggressive at the deadline; however, the conditions are also ripe for the Eagles to take advantage of other teams' selling situations in the coming weeks.