The Philadelphia Eagles are in the hunt for a defensive end at the trade deadline, according to a report from ESPN’s Jeremy Fowler. The ESPN NFL insider listed the Eagles among those teams that have called the Carolina Panthers about defensive end Brian Burns during his appearance on Sports Center, as relayed by Bleacher Report.
The other teams on the list were the Los Angeles Rams and Kansas City Chiefs. But it appears the extremely high price tag that Panthers general manager Scott Fitterer said he had on core players was not overstated. Fowler cited an anonymous general manager who told him the asking price for Burns was two first round picks.
Burns has an impressive resume for a 24-year-old with 29.5 sacks in 54 career games, including 22 sacks in his last 38 games. However, two first round picks is an extremely steep price, even for an Eagles team that has a lot of draft capital.
Panthers’ High Asking Price Could Shrink the Market for Brian Burns
By opening with such a high asking price, the Panthers could scare some teams off right away. The Rams gave up their 2023 first round pick as part of the package for quarterback Matthew Stafford, which also included their 2022 first round pick. So if they gave up their next two first rounders, they’d go four straight years without a pick in the opening round.
The Chiefs hold their own first rounders going forward, while the Eagles have their own plus the Saints’ first rounder this year. But it’s hard to imagine general manager Howie Roseman dealing what currently projects as a top-5 pick for Burns, let alone two first rounders.
Eagles Do Have Other Options at the Trade Deadline
Roseman seems to be sitting in the catbird seat heading into the trade deadline. The Eagles are the last undefeated team in the NFL, and among the favorites to win the Super Bowl. They don’t have to make a move to contend, but they have the assets to be able to do so.
While there are pass rushers like Burns, and perhaps the Broncos’ Bradley Chubb, likely to be available who make sense for the Eagles to give up significant assets for as part of their long term plan, there are also some short-term options that could be available at a far cheaper price.
In addition, they don’t necessarily need an upgrade at defensive end. Any additions the Eagles make are more of a luxury than a need, and they could opt to go for a different position.
Among those that would make a lot of sense are tight end (to add depth), running back (to add a power runner or a pass catcher), punt returner, or dime cornerback. Howie Roseman is not the type to overpay in a trade, and he’s definitely the type to explore all of the options available.
Given his style of management and the many directions he could go at this deadline, it would be surprising if the Eagles aren’t reported to be in the mix for a handful of players and it seems more likely than not that they’ll pull the trigger on a trade of some sort.
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