Getty Troy Reeder of the Los Angeles Rams.
The Philadelphia Eagles signed running back Rashaad Penny to a one-year deal this offseason, but through five games, the veteran rusher has played just 12% of the team’s offensive snaps.
Bill Barnwell of ESPN put together 15 relatively realistic trade proposals, and he thinks it might benefit the Eagles to trade Penny, proposing a player-to-player swap for Los Angeles Rams linebacker Troy Reeder.
“Using Penny to add defensive depth makes sense,” Barnwell wrote on October 12. “Reeder is not going to cause Eagles fans to start climbing lampposts, but he’s a useful special teams player who started at inside linebacker for the Rams in 2020 and 2021. The 29-year-old spent camp with the Vikings before being cut and rejoining Sean McVay’s team, where he has strictly been on special teams. … Reeder’s presence as a special-teamer makes him more viable as a reserve linebacker, unlike Zach Cunningham.”
Rashaad Penny Has Been Overshadowed By Play of D’Andre Swift
Most yards per carry this season (min 50 CAR):
7.2 — Breece Hall
5.7 — D’Andre Swift
5.4 — Bijan Robinson
5.4 — Raheem Mostert
5.4 — James Conner
Mostert has more touchdowns than the other four guys combined.
The Eagles entered the season planning a running back by committee approach. Along with Penny, trade acquisition D’Andre Swift, Kenneth Gainwell and Boston Scott were expected to contribute.
Penny has appeared in just one game for the Eagles so far, rushing three times for nine yards. His best season came in 2021 with the Seahawks, when he had 119 carries for 749 yards and six touchdowns in 10 games. He led the NFL that year in yards per carry (6.3). The emergence of Swift, who has 434 yards and two TDs through five weeks, pretty much assures Penny won’t see the field much. Thus, trading him for depth on defense doesn’t seem like a bad idea at all.
The Eagles current RB could also have a relatively easy time adjusting in L.A. “Penny would land as the Cam Akers replacement in Los Angeles, serving as a change-of-pace player and backup for Kyren Williams. Penny competed under former Rams pass game coordinator Shane Waldron during his time in Seattle, so Penny should already have some familiarity with the McVay offense,” Barnwell added.
What Would Eagles Get in LB Troy Reeder?
Incredibly violent (and clean) hit from LA linebacker Troy Reeder.
Reeder, 29, was signed by the Rams as an undrafted free agent out of Delaware in 2019. An extremely durable linebacker, he has never missed a game in his NFL career. Reeder has been a solid special teams contributor in each of his four seasons, and that has been his only role this year, as Barnwell noted.
Still, he is an experienced starting LB in this league, and that’s valuable to have coupled with his special teams skills. Reeder played in 17 games for the Rams in 2021, starting 10. He finished with 91 tackles (48 solo, six for loss), six pass breakups, four quarterback hits, 2.0 sacks and two interceptions. He’s not the best in coverage, but he’s not the worst, either. He runs to the ball with purpose, and he tends to make his presence felt.
Adding Reeder to a group that includes Dean, Cunningham and Nicholas Morrow would give the team a better and more experienced option than Nolan Smith, Christian Elliss or Patrick Johnson. It wouldn’t be a blockbuster trade by any means, but swapping Penny for Reeder seems like something Philly should consider. Stay tuned.