October 31, 2022
The NFL trade deadline is on November 1, and the Philadelphia Eagles are likely to be buyers. Here we'll track all the rumors and reports in advance of the deadline, and opine on the logic and legitimacy of each of them.
According to Ralph Vacchiano of FOX Sports, the Eagles could have interest in Browns RB Kareem Hunt
In case you're unfamiliar with the Hunt timeline, he was a third-round pick of the Chiefs who immediately became a star player his rookie season in 2017, leading the NFL with 1,327 rushing yards. In Year 2, he was outstanding once again, racking up over 1,200 yards from scrimmage and 14 total TDs in 11 games before a video emerged of him assaulting a woman. He was quickly and rightfully released by the Chiefs, ending his 2018 season.
Hunt landed with the Browns in 2019 as a reclamation project, backing up another star running back in Nick Chubb. His opportunities have since been limited, but when called upon he has produced. In 2021, Hunt averaged a hair under five yards per carry. His production in 2022 has fallen off some (4.0 YPC), after he requested to be traded during training camp.
Still, in Hunt the Eagles could add a big back who is physical between the tackles, but who is also an accomplished receiver. He would serve as injury insurance for Miles Sanders, and would help keep Sanders fresh for the stretch run.
In my opinion, Hunt can probably be had for less than the above stated fourth-round pick.
Per Jeremy Fowler of ESPN (h/t BLG)
An Eagles player that still has trade interest is left tackle Andre Dillard. Teams I've talked to believe the Eagles would move him but need a good pick to do so, most likely a third-rounder.
On Sunday, we noted that the Eagles are open to trading Dillard, and we covered the pros and cons of a deal extensively.
Personally speaking, I think a third-round pick would be perfectly reasonable compensation for Dillard, but I would be surprised if the Eagles pulled the trigger at that cost. Interested suitors would obviously be buyers, thus competing for playoff spots, meaning that it would likely be a pick later in the round (something in the 80th-90th overall range). The Eagles have had opportunities to deal Dillard in the past, but they have consistently held out. Maybe a third-round pick plus a Day 3 pick would get it done.
According to Albert Breer, the Eagles offered either a third- or fourth-round pick for McCaffrey:
More calls poured in Tuesday, with some teams just fishing—offering a third-rounder or a fourth-rounder to see whether a discount was in the offing. The Broncos and Eagles were among those teams (both have GMs who like to investigate pretty much everything). The day clarified who was really in and who wasn’t.
A third-round pick would have been appropriate compensation for McCaffrey, in my opinion, not the second-, third-, fourth- and fifth-round picks the 49ers gave up to get him.
What this nugget shows is that the Eagles have at least some level of interest in adding to their stable of running backs.
Jeremy Fowler of ESPN is apparently reporting that the Eagles are calling around about the availability of players, possibly including Brian Burns. H/t BLG on the transcription here.
“Brian Burns is a player teams are trying to get. The Panthers are telling teams, ‘no, that we’re probably done [after trading Robbie Anderson and Christian McCaffrey]. We made some moves. We want to keep core foundational pieces like wide receiver DJ Moore and Burns.’ I’m told teams like the LA Rams, who barely have a first-round pick, they’re trying to get Brian Burns. The Chiefs and the Eagles are calling around.
“One GM told me it’s a minimum two first-round pick buy-in to get Burns. That’s how coveted he is. So, the Panthers have some tough decisions because teams are going to make some attractive offers. They could move some role players or some backups, but I think their top five or six players they really want to keep.”
While it was not reported that the Eagles specifically inquired about Burns, one might make that leap since Burns is who Fowler was already discussing.
Adam Schefter reported Sunday morning that the Panthers have turned down an offer of multiple first-round picks for Burns.
Carolina rejected an offer of two 1st-round picks for DE Brian Burns, per sources.
— Adam Schefter (@AdamSchefter) October 23, 2022
Carolina now has no intention of trading Burns, Derrick Brown, Jaycee Horn and DJ Moore before next Tuesday’s trade deadline.https://t.co/TcYZsX7nUn
#JimmySays: Of course the Eagles have inquired about Burns. It would be malpractice not to. We covered the appeal of Burns here, and got into more detail on the financial feasibility of trading for him here.
The cost of two first-round picks is wishful thinking on the Panthers' part, if they are open to trading Burns. As a point of comparison, in September 2018 the Raiders traded Khalil Mack to the Bears for a package that included two first-round picks:
| Bears got | Raiders got |
| Khalil Mack | 1st round pick (2019) |
| 2nd round pick (2020) | 1st round pick (2020) |
| 7th round pick (2020) | 3rd round pick (2020) |
| 6th round pick (2019) |
Burns could be an impact player for a contender, but he is not what Khalil Mack was at the time of that trade. In the three seasons preceding that trade, Mack had won Defensive Player of the Year honors (2016), earned two first-team All-Pro nods (2015 and 2016), and three Pro Bowl nods (2015, 2016, and 2017). Burns has been to one Pro Bowl.
There was reporting that Carolina wouldn't part with Christian McCaffrey for less than two first-round picks, and they wound up trading him for a 2, a 3, a 4, and a 5, the cumulative value of which was in the ballpark of one late first-round pick, which, frankly, was a steal for them.
Would the Eagles be interested if the cost were their own first-round pick (not the Saints pick), and, say, a Day 2 pick in 2024? That would be more realistic if the Panthers are interested in stockpiling picks to draft a quarterback next offseason.
All of the above said, it would be logical for the Panthers to simply keep Burns unless they are blown away by an offer they can't refuse. Though clearly, they are open to trading him or they wouldn't have told Schefter that they turned down an offer of two first round picks for him, which, by the way, mmhmm, I'm sure they did.
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