Getty Bears WR Taylor Gabriel is a less expensive option for the Eagles to look at trading for before the deadline.
Eagles GM Howie Roseman is down to five days. That’s less than a week to put on his Wall Street hat and broker a deal.
The NFL’s trade deadline is set in stone: Oct. 29 at 4 p.m. After that, the Eagles won’t be able to improve their banged-up roster via trade. Their fate will be left up to the gods, or to the uncertain abdomen of DeSean Jackson.
Roseman hasn’t ruled out making a deal and was rumored to be in the mix for both Emmanuel Sanders and Mohamed Sanu. With those two playmakers off the board, let’s take a look at some other options at the wide receiver position.
Carson Wentz has looked lost without Jackson or any semblance of a deep threat on the roster. The Eagles need to do something — and it doesn’t have to be drastic. CBS Sports’ Jason LaCanfora mentioned that Roseman is “open to anything” and the GM has been working the phones since Week 4.
Top 5 Under-the-Radar Receivers Available
The longest TD from scrimmage this season.
Sam Darnold & @youngamazing9 #TakeFlight for 92 yards! 🛩 #DALvsNYJ
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Robby Anderson, Jets
The conventional wisdom is Anderson won’t be moved before the deadline. He has shown exceptional chemistry with second-year quarterback Sam Darnold and has been one of the few bright spots on a “ghostly” season for the Jets. Darnold hit Anderson for a 92-yard touchdown strike two weeks ago in a 125-yard performance from the receiver.
Anderson stretches the field with his speed and possesses great hands. The duo was among the best in the league late in 2018 when Anderson accumulated 2.53 yards per route. If there’s any chance the Jets would deal the 26-year-old, Roseman should do it — even if the asking price is a second-rounder. Paging Joe Douglas.
Taylor Gabriel, Bears
This is definitely the less sexy option, but it’s the more likely one. Gabriel hasn’t seen the field much since sustaining a concussion in Week 3, a game in which he tallied 75 receiving yards and three touchdowns for Chicago. The 28-year-old is a burner who has earned the nickname “Turbo” from his teammates after being clocked running at 24 miles-per-hour.
Chillin’ out maxin’ relaxin’ all cool.
It’s odd the Bears aren’t using the speedster more in their offense, especially after inking him to a four-year $26 million deal last year. That would be a relatively cheap contract for the Eagles to absorb. More importantly, the Bears may be willing to part with Gabriel for a fourth-round pick. It’s an instant upgrade over anything on their current roster.
DeVante Parker, Dolphins
The Dolphins are supposedly going to be big-time sellers at the deadline, with rumors circling around Parker and Kenyon Drake and Xavien Howard. All would be perfect fits in Philadelphia. The most important piece the Eagles need right now may be a down-the-field threat, though. Parker is 6-foot-3, 209-pound receiver with 4.4 speed. Buy, buy, buy.
Yes, Parker has struggled with health after missing four of his first six games in 2018. This year, he has started in five of six games this for the Dolphins and scored touchdowns in three consecutive games. The best part? He’s still only 26 years old and has a very team-friendly two-year deal worth $10 million. This is another guy that severely needs a change of scenery, from South Beach to South Street. Plus, Parker could easily be swapped for a third-round pick.
Triple threat 🏈🏈🏈
@DeVanteParker11 has caught a TD in three straight games.
Tavon Austin, Cowboys
The Eagles got a close-up on what Austin can do last week when he slipped by the defense for a 20-yard touchdown run. The former Rams receiver has been under-utilized throughout his career, although injuries have limited him. Remember, Austin was a first-round pick when the Rams took him eighth overall in 2013 — talent like that doesn’t grow on trees. No one has been able to fully pull all that potential out of him.
Maybe working out with and being in the same film room as DeSean Jackson may finally turn him into a superstar. There’s no doubt he has the wheels, he just needs to get the mental part cleaned up. Dallas acquired him last year for a sixth-round pick and he hasn’t done much to improve his stock, with 16 catches for 230 yards over the past two seasons. Would the Cowboys swap him to a division rival for a fifth-rounder? He’s worth a flier at that price.
A.J. Green, Bengals
A.J. Green’s production can’t be overstated. He is among the very best at his position, albeit when he’s actually on the field. Green’s name had been mentioned in the same breath as guys like Julio Jones and Odell Beckham Jr. entering the 2016 season before injuries took their toll. In his first seven NFL seasons, the 6-foot-4, 207-pound wideout had averaged 1,173.2 receiving yards per season on 135.7 targets.
His 57 touchdown catches were 14 more than Jones’ 43 at the time. Then, the injury bug bit down hard on Green with a myriad of ankle and toe injuries. While Green probably isn’t worth a first-round flier at this point, he certainly could be a valuable mid-season piece if the Bengals were serious about trading him. And if Green is truly healed up and ready to return.
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