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The Indianapolis Colts are asking for “additional compensation” in a possible trade for Carson Wentz. What can the Philadelphia Eagles offer to sweeten the pot? Well, there is no shortage of options depending on how much they want to give up.
For starters, the Eagles have 12 unrestricted free agents who could be packaged in a deal prior to March 17. Free agency starts at 4 p.m. and 2020 player contracts will expire at that time. The franchise also has a long list of high-priced veterans that might want to move on instead of suffering through a long rebuild. A few of those names — guys like Brandon Graham, Fletcher Cox, Zach Ertz, DeSean Jackson, Alshon Jeffery — were mentioned in trade talks at last year’s deadline.
“I don’t think we’re in the position to take on a lot of money anymore,” GM Howie Roseman told reporters prior to training camp. “I think we need that cap space to roll over to make sure that we are in a position to keep the balance of the team together in 2021. It’s just the reality of the situation and the world we’re living in.”
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Top 7 Eagles Trade Pieces in Carson Wentz Deal
Jalen Mills: The 26-year-old transitioned from cornerback to safety in 2020 and, statistically, had his best season in midnight green. He set career-highs in tackles (74), sacks (1.5), QB hits (5), and games played (15). Mills also embraced his new leadership role — taking over for Malcolm Jenkins, in tandem with Rodney McLeod — while selflessly shifting back to cornerback when injuries piled up in the secondary. The Eagles like Mills and should lock him up to a multi-year contract. Then again, his trade value has never been higher and Chicago Bears starting corner Jaylon Johnson is dealing with a troublesome shoulder injury.
Zach Ertz: Look, this isn’t about anything Ertz said or did. The three-time Pro Bowl tight end just wants to be paid like one of the top players at his position, but the Eagles don’t have the money to pay him — especially not after a down year. Ertz caught 36 balls for 335 yards while missing five games due to injury. He has talked at length about wanting to stay in Philly and yet contract negotiations have stalled. He’s leaving so why not get something back in return? Frank Reich has two quality tight ends in Mo Alie-Cox and Jack Doyle, but he loves using 12 personnel. Indianapolis seems like a good fit for Ertz who seems checked out.
Avonte Maddox: The Eagles are married to Darius Slay for at least two more years so one side of the field is set. The other one? Maddox should enter training camp as the leading candidate but his first year was uneven. He finished with just three pass breakups and zero interceptions while sitting out six games. There have been murmurs of Philly possibly selecting Patrick Surtain II in the first round (sixth overall). Maddox, a fourth-rounder in 2018, could be an intriguing throw-in trade piece.
Corey Clement: It’s hard to believe Clement only turned 26 in November because it seems like he’s been in the Eagles’ backfield forever. He enters training camp every year with high expectations and then underwhelms either due to injury or other guys stealing his snaps. Maybe a change of scenery would do the Philly Special hero well. Clement enjoyed his best professional season in 2017 (under Reich) when he rushed for 321 yards and then caught four passes for 100 yards in the Super Bowl. He’s an unrestricted free agent come March 17 and low-volume running backs (163 career touches) are always in high demand.
J.J. Arcega-Whiteside: The 2019 second-round pick surely has some trade value, right? Arcega-Whiteside battled COVID-19 in 2020 and only played in eight games. The Eagles also chose to keep him inactive for a large stretch of the season as they opted for rookies Quez Watkins, John Hightower, Jalen Reagor down the stretch. The 6-foot-2 possession receiver was drafted to replace Alshon Jeffery but the 30-year-old remains on the roster. Meanwhile, the Philly front office and fan base have both soured on Arcega-Whiteside. It would be best to see if another coaching staff can unlock his once-promising potential.
Brandon Graham: This one would sting condisering he’s the face of the Eagles’ defense. Graham, who turns 33 in April, is coming off a sensational 2020 campaign where he qualified for his first Pro Bowl after registering eight sacks. He’s only got two years left on the $40 million deal he inked in 2019. Let him loose to chase a championship somewhere else. Sure, the fraenchise would be losing their best trash-talker and best pass-rusher — that’s OK, we can still be friends. That strip-sack on Tom Brady is a part of Philly folk lore.
Andre Dillard: There may be no player more in need of a one-way ticket away from the East Coast than the Washington native. The former first-round pick — and one-time future left tackle — has gone on record saying he wasn’t quite ready for the pressure cooker of playing in Philly. The 25-year-old suffered a freak biceps tear that ended his 2020 season before it started. Dillard had been penciled in as the starter on the blind side, then he got hurt and Jordan Mailata played exceptionally well. Packaging Dillard with Wentz would be a genius move since their new team would be (theoretically) set at two foundational positions for years and years to come. The two players also share the same sports agency: Ryan Tollner’s Rep1 Football.
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