The Sports Simpleton
  • 02:04 PM ET  04.23
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The Philadelphia Eagles seem to be involved in nearly every trade rumor out there.  They are out to get Anquan Boldin, Tony Gonzalez, and Braylon Edwards, all for draft picks.  Can they do it?  Sure, but they would have to give up just about all of their draft picks this year to get it done.  It's all speculation anyway, but the possibility of the Birds making one move before the draft seems pretty likely.  Profootballtalk.com was even indicating that Shawn Andrews, the guy they were bending over backwards for signing his buddies, was now on the trade market.  As Tom McGinnis would say, "Are you kidding me?"

I was in the process of writing part two to my post from yesterday when I saw that the Eagles have jumped ahead of the Giants for Edwards and by the time I'm done writing this it could all change again.  We could see an Andrews for Edwards deal go down, maybe something with one of the Browns, Sheldon or Reggie, or we could say bye bye to the possibility of drafting Knowshon Moreno and drop our first round pick for somebody.  Any way you slice it, it appears that the Eagles are looking to do more than just trade out of the first round again.

With all the talk about Boldin and Edwards, maybe I mislead myself on how comfortable the Eagles are with their receivers.  For the first time in years I'm not going into the draft feeling that they needed a wideout more than anything else.  In fact, with the pick up of Jason Peters, I felt like they might just grab a running back or tight end since there were no glaring pits of talent decay anywhere else on the roster.

I suppose that as of now Philly fans are just going to have to wait and see.  Perhaps its just talk, but perhaps it is not.  But regardless, I'd be interested to see who is calling these shots.  Why all of a sudden are they trying to get a top notch receiver?  Is this the organization giving it one last all-in attempt to win with Donovan McNabb before they sink this ship and start building a new one?  Is Coach Andy Reid trying to take over the reigns of player/personnel decision making after it has appeared that moneyman Joe Banner was making those calls?

These rumors make sense on paper, but then they don't.  The Eagles have historically only shopped for bargains, so the Gonzalez for the 3rd round pick would fit, aside from his salary of course.  But I never got the sense that they would want a high priced veteran for a position they don't put much value in.  They traded for T.O., but gave up a 3rd and Brandon Whiting, and then kinda sorta screwed T.O. on the contract.  The Eagles have been a team that have built from the draft and within with guys who are young and/or cheap, and from there start targeting who they want to keep, and at a price lower than market value too.

It is almost hard to fathom that regardless of what happens trade-wise, if anything does at all, that the Eagles aren't going to come out of this weekend winners in some fashion.  Even after the high-profile jettison of some of their veterans earlier this year, they will end up having a pretty nice offseason.  Add a big name receiver and an All-Pro Tight End and this could be the best offseason since they added Kearse and Owens.  Hopefully, these new addition won't end up like those guys though.

Visit http://www.sportssimpleton.blogspot.com/ for the hell of it, not because I'm asking you to.

April 23, 2009  02:40 PM ET

DOH! PFT is reporting that Tony Gonzalez has been traded to the Falcons for a second round pick.

April 23, 2009  07:44 PM ET

I truly believe at this point if the Boldin trade does not come about that the Eagles WILL DO EVERTHING THEY CAN TO GET KNOWSHON MORENO!!! The two new tackles are better at run blocking then pass blocking. Moreno would be perfect because he would let Westbrook line up more as a WR and this will extend Westbrook`s career. Plus it would give the Eagles the option of drafting a WR or a Sheldon Brown replacement in the 2nd round. Westbrook might be as good as any WR that they could get in the 2nd round. I think WR was the plan in the 2nd round until Sheldon Brown took his hissy fit. TE in the 3rd round.

April 23, 2009  09:18 PM ET

I really hope you're right, PEACHO, I really do.

April 23, 2009  11:02 PM ET

If TE Pettigrew is there at #21, The Eagles should pull the trigger. The ripple effect of his dominant blocking, along with his soft hands, and being a huge target and mismatch at 6'6 260 lbs. would be well worth the investment. The ability to soften up defenses pounding the ball with a MONSTROUS O-Line and TE, a legitimate red zone threat, a chain mover (3rd and short, 4th and 1, run it or pass it with Pettigrew blocking or catching). They also have the ammo to move up in the 2nd to try and get RB Donald Brown who has similar skills as Moreno, and they have showed interest in. In the 3rd, they could take a DB, or WR Ramses Barden.
How do you defend a red zone possession with McNabb, Westbrook, Pettigrew, Barden, Baskett, and Jackson?

April 24, 2009  09:19 AM ET

I like Pettigrew a lot, particularly since he seems to have the total package of skills. But between Knowshon and Brandon, I have to go with the SEC running back.

April 24, 2009  11:20 AM ET

Trade out of first, get RB and TE in second to avoid the guaranteed money is what the Eagles want to do. Get the Donald Brown for RB and take the next best TE when it is time to pick...the UF TE Ingram or Cook out of south carolina or nelson from Southern Miss. They will use the 5th rounders to test out the future secondary we will need.

 
April 24, 2009  04:23 PM ET

I thought they would take 4 offensive lineman and a linebacker to back up Joe Mays on the practice squad.

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