The Philadelphia Eagles are near the top of the NFL power rankings after Week 6. With the NFL trade deadline approaching, though, it’s apparent the Eagles’ roster and execution isn’t quite as strong as it was last season.
In 2022, Philadelphia had the third-highest red-zone touchdown rate (68%) in the NFL. One season later, it ranks 23rd in (45.45%) in that same statistic. Defensively, the Eagles have allowed the ninth-highest average QB rating (94.7) and rank 20th in gross passing yards allowed per game (254). It’s put the team in a position where both the existing personnel needs to step up and some additions might be necessary.
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Here are four Eagles trade targets who could strengthen Philadelphia’s Super Bowl aspirations.
Budda Baker, safety, Arizona Cardinals
Eagles’ general manager Howie Roseman is willing to be aggressive when necessary. With the Arizona Cardinals focused on the future and collecting more draft assets, All-Pro safety Budda Baker would be an ideal option to join Philadelphia’s secondary
He’s only played in one game this season – slated to come off IR due to a hamstring injury – but Baker has consistently been one of the best safeties in football over the last four seasons. He’s also very versatile, recording 349 snaps in the box, 148 as a slot corner with 413 snaps coming at free safety in 2022 (PFF).
While he excelled as a run defender, Baker also demonstrated that he can play well in coverage. According to Pro Football Focus, Baker earned an 80.7 coverage grade from Weeks 12-16, one of the highest marks in the NFL over that time. He’s one of the most well-rounded safeties in the NFL and adding him to the Eagles’ defense would provide Philadelphia with a Swiss Army knife that is needed in the secondary.
Hunter Renfrow, wide receiver, Las Vegas Raiders
The Las Vegas Raiders have totally mismanaged the handling of Hunter Renfrow. While Jakobi Meyers is a better player, the new Raiders’ regime essentially signed Renfrow to a contract extension and then continuously scaled back his role in the offense. Now, the former Pro Bowl receiver is available for cheap.
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In terms of the draft-pick compensation required to land him, Philadelphia wouldn’t be looking at anything more than a Day 3 pick or possibly a future pick swap at that. Las Vegas has reached the point of desperation with Renfrow, which is exactly the kind of situation someone like Roseman takes advantage of.
When we last saw Renfrow play significant snaps, the 5-foot-10 slot receiver ranked 22nd in yards per route run (2.08) and he had the fifth-highest target separation (2.14 yards) in the NFL. He’s also a reliable pass-catcher, dropping just four passes during the 2021 season.
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Renfrow would essentially be the fourth option in Philadelphia behind A.J. Brown, DeVonta Smith and Dallas Goedert, but he would be a nice complementary piece in the slot. Plus, with Philadelphia hurting at wide receiver, trading for Renfrow fills a need at a cheap price.
Josey Jewell, linebacker, Denver Broncos
After losing their top linebackers this offseason, Philadelphia has tried to make things work through injuries in 2023. While Nicholas Morrow is playing very well, particularly excelling as a pass rusher and run defender, there’s definitive room to improve this linebacker corps.
While Josey Jewell isn’t an All-Pro linebacker, the 28-year-old would improve the Eagles’ defense. Standing at 6-foot-2, Jewell would be an immediate upgrade over Zach Cunningham. Plus, he could bring an end to Philadelphia’s rotation at linebacker.
While Jewell does have some limitations, that’s to be expected in 2023 with no Pro Bowl off-ball linebackers available. Jewell carries a $7.13 million cap hit this season and then will become a free agent in 2024, making him a cost-effective target for Philadelphia as well.
Kristian Fulton, cornerback, Tennessee Titans
The Tennessee Titans’ secondary has been a disaster this season. Kristian Fulton, the 61st overall pick in the 2020 NFL Draft, has been a part of that. Yet, it’s easy to argue the 5-foot-11 cornerback would benefit greatly from a change of scenery.
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We’ve seen Fulton play very well in the past. During the 2021 season, he held opponents to a 69.6 QB rating when they targeted him in coverage across 476 coverage snaps with a majority of those snaps coming on the perimeter.
Fulton could thrive in Philadelphia. He would immediately benefit from playing behind a front seven that has the fourth-highest pressure rate (29.1%) in the NFL. In addition, Eagles’ defensive backs coach D.J. McDonald has done excellent with with an array of cornerbacks who have joined the team. While there are better options available than Fulton, he’s a cost-effective option with upside for the Eagles.