The Philadelphia Eagles have a history of making shrewd moves on the trade market to help them maintain their status as a Super Bowl contender. As the 2023 NFL trade deadline nears, Philadelphia seems to be setting its sights on one side of the ball.
It’s been a bit of hit-and-miss for both the Eagles’ offense and defense this season. While Philadelphia is outstanding against the run, it has experienced plenty of issues defending the pass. Despite having one of the NFL’s best pass rushes, the Eagles’ secondary has not come close to playing at the level we saw in 2022.
- Philadelphia Eagles pass defense stats: 232.2 pass ypg allowed (20th in NFL), 94.7 QB rating allowed (24th), 1.8 passing touchdowns allowed per game (29th)
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Offensively, things aren’t much better. While the Eagles aren’t having any trouble moving the football, everything slows down inside the red zone. Entering NFL games today, Philadelphia ranks 23rd in red-zone touchdown rate (45.45%) and it’s 14th in red-zone scores per game (1.7). However, it seems the front office has a bit more confidence in the offense figuring things out.
Dianna Russini of The Athletic reported on Saturday that Eagles’ general manager Howie Roseman is specifically targeting a safety, viewing it as a priority in order to turn this secondary around in the second half of the season.
Reinforcements obviously won’t come immediately. Despite the team’s impressive defensive numbers, the Eagles’ secondary could run into trouble on Sunday Night Football against the Miami Dolphins. If the game goes as many expect, it will become even more apparent after Week 7 that Philadelphia’s secondary needs help.
As for potential trade candidates, there are a few options. The Carolina Panthers just placed safety Jeremy Chinn on injured reserve and he won’t return until December, but an NFL team willing to wait that long could make a move for the young defensive back.
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Denver Broncos safety Justin Simmons is one of the top options, but it’s unclear just how willing the Broncos are to move him. He’s been an integral part of their defense for years and head coach Sean Payton isn’t interested in a fire sale at the NFL trade deadline.
If Chinn and Simmons aren’t options, Arizona Cardinals safety Budda Baker just came off injured reserve. Philadelphia could also pursue Broncos’ veteran safety Kareem Jackson, who would be one of the cheaper options.
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As for running back Rashaad Penny, Russini reports tat the Eagles don’t want to move him. While he might generate some trade interest, Philadelphia believes its depth at running back will be crucial moving forward.