The NFL Trade Deadline is November 4th at 4pm, about 5 weeks away. It’s not nearly as active as in other sports, but the Eagles especially are always looking to make moves. Each week we are going to look at the worst teams in the league to see if there is anyone worth pilfering.
Ian Rappaport rappa-reported this week that Riq Woolen, CB for the Seattle Seahawks, could be moved before the trade deadline. The reasoning is that Seattle is getting solid production from former Eagle Josh Jobe while having a glut of talent in the secondary making Woolen expendable. He is also an expiring contract and Seattle has a lot of talent to pay. He isn’t the only one in this situation. Let’s look at some pre-extension trade candidates from around the league. These are guys who are going to be cheap this year, but will need a new contract. If they aren’t traded in the next few weeks, they will likely hit the market in March.
Riq Woolen – CB – Seahawks
Woolen broke out as a rookie 5th round pick 3 years ago, making it to the Pro Bowl and finishing 3rd in DROY voting. Since then, he has been good, but not great before bottoming out this season. Why am I so excited about the possibility of bringing a CB on the downswing to Philly? Because he is one of the greatest athletes to ever hit a football field. 6’4″ CBs who run a 4.26 are not supposed to exist. Now that his value is dropping, I would love to get him under the tutelage of Uncle Vic. He is only 26 and should not cost more than a 5th round pick at this point.
Jermaine Johnson – EDGE – Jets
Johnson was drafted by the Jets in the first round in 2022 out of Florida State. After a promising 2nd season, he tore his Achillies tendon and missed almost all of 2024. Now he’s back and playing well despite not registering a sack. He still has his 5th year option next year, but with Will McDonald on the other side and the season already slipping away, the Jets might want to retain some value before having to pay the big 5th year price.
Michael Mayer – TE – Raiders
I know I have been banging the Mayer drum every week, but it makes too much sense for the Raiders to trade him. The former 3rd rounder is extension eligible after this season but should not be extended under any circumstances by Las Vegas because of Brock Bowers. Getting value for him now, while he still has a year on the cheap left, is imperative. Plus, the Raiders are terrible. With the Colts, Titans, and Chiefs coming up, they will enter their bye week 2-5 and effectively dead. FREE MICHAEL MAYER!!! He should cost a 3rd at the highest but probably a 4th.
Kayvon Thibodeaux – EDGE – Giants
I don’t actually want KT. He’s an a-hole who hates Philly. Good for him. It makes sense for him to be on the trade block though. He is in his 4th year, has a pretty large 5th year option payment coming, and is going to want to make more than he is worth. Plus, the Giants already have Abdul Carter and Brian Burns. If I am them, I find a desperate team and get a 2nd rounder for him while I continue my rebuild. I would trade Burns too. The Giants will probably do neither.
Kyle Pitts – TE – Falcons
The biggest problem with Pitts is that he was drafted way too early. If he was taken in the 2nd round, he would probably already have an extension. Instead, the Falcons didn’t draft about 8 elite players, making them look stupid for taking a tight end with the 4th overall pick in the 2021 Draft. They can’t extend him, right? An acquiring team would be getting a pro-rated $10m salary for an interesting compliment to the offense. The Eagles would be getting a first hands-on look at a possible Dallas Goedert replacement. I can think of a dozen reasons to make the trade and a dozen more not to. This is the perpetual problem with Pitts.
Jaelan Phillips – EDGE – Dolphins
Somehow the Dolphins still lost this week while winning thanks to the Tyreek Hill injury. This is a dead team walking and needs to reset itself desperately. Phillips has missed most of the last 2 seasons due to injury which has him currently playing in his 5th year option year. There’s no way they franchise tag him after this season, so it is either extension or trade time for the bumbling franchise. With one of the better athletic profiles you will ever see, Phillips could provide some juice to an Eagles pass rush that needs it right now. He does make too much for his current profile though. Any team trading for him will need to pay down the pro-rated portion of his $13.25m salary. This is a good thing though considering it will make the asking price come down and the Dolphins will not have any dead money to worry about.
Dax Hill – S/CB – Bengals
After tearing his ACL last year, Hill is back and playing some of the better ball of his career. His versatility as either a S or CB could do wonders for the hole the Eagles have in the secondary as an Uncle Vic chess piece. Despite the impending lost season in Cincy, the Bengals may delude themselves into thinking they can just wait out Joe Burrow’s injury. Let’s hope not. As a former 1st rounder, he still has his 5th year option next year.
Travon Walker – EDGE – Jaguars
This is the big one to me. Walker has always been the missing piece to the near total unification of the National Champion Georgia defense in Philly. After a disappointing rookie season, Walker has become a solid pass rusher…and that’s a problem. Why? Because he isn’t great. It’s easy to pay great players, but paying good ones is a problem because they always make more than their production warrants (I am talking myself out of Walker right now). However, the Eagles would be banking on Walker regaining his upside with his old Bulldog buddies. He is only 24 and hasn’t lost any of his athleticism. Will Jacksonville want to pay him AND Josh Hines Allen? They are going to want similar contracts (granted so will Nolan Smith) so Walker might be available. It is a long shot, but it would be pretty damn cool. I’m guessing a 1st would need to be offered to get it done.
Philly Front Office 
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