Philly Front Office

[UPDATE: Added Myles Garrett]

This was a pretty crazy week in the NFL. Besides the Eagles getting gashed by the Giants, the Bills, Commanders, and Cowboys all lost while the Falcons, Panthers, and Patriots all vaulted themselves into plausible contention. Some things stayed the same though. Further cementing themselves at the bottom of the NFL are the Browns, Dolphins, Jets, Saints, and Titans. These 5 teams are vying for the #1 pick in the draft and should trade everyone they can to get there. What do they have to offer though? The NFL Trade Deadline is November 4th at 4pm.

Eagles Postgame Week 6: The Disease of More

Browns

It still doesn’t make any sense that the Browns resigned Myles Garrett instead of trading him. This was clearly going to be a lost/rebuilding season since Deshaun Watson is just a blackhole on their cap sheet, so why not cash in on Garrett while his value was at its highest? They can still technically trade him since his cap hit will not be crazy crazy, but they won’t. Anyway…

• Jerry Jeudy – WR: Jeudy is only 26 and his career has not gone the way it was supposed to. Staying on the Browns is not going to help that at all. I don’t think he’s an Eagles candidate, but someone like the Bills or Packers might be interested considering he has a low salary. He would cost the Browns over $22m in cap next year, which is ok because they LOVE setting money on fire. He does have a non-guaranteed option bonus of $21.5m in 2027.
• David Njoku – TE: Njoku is a free agent next year and will cost the Browns big time whether they trade him or he stays. Knowing them, they will try to resign him, but he is a flyer the Eagles should consider due to his low cap hit and likely trade price
• Denzel Ward – CB: Ward has not been very good this year and has a big salary next year. The Browns are cap screwed anyway but maybe do not want to sell low. Ward should not cost more than a 4th tops.
• Grant Delpit – S: Delpit has played well this season and comes at a low cost. Next year is the final year of his rookie extension. Due to option bonuses, an acquiring team would not owe him much this year, but would have around $12m for the books next season. Eagles should make a call considering the lack of depth at the position and uncertainty of Reed Blankenship for next year.
• Myles Garrett – EDGE: Garrett is probably objectively the best defensive player in the NFL. He’s a total monster and has been first team All Pro 4 of the last 5 years. If a contender can pry him away from the Browns it would change everything. Also, despite signing a contract extension in the offseason he is VERY tradeable, check it out…

Myles Garrett is NOT Impossible

Dolphins

The other teams on this list probably knew they weren’t going to be very good this season. The Dolphins were probably blindsided though. Everyone else knew they were a soft, undisciplined team but they acted like that stuff doesn’t matter and now here they are. This team is on its way to a serious reckoning. If I’m them, I’m firing the GM now and letting his replacement gut this team over the next few weeks and then razing the foundation in the offseason.

• Tua Tagovailoa – QB: After his comments and his play, Tua is a dead fish in Miami. I’m not saying he can’t get himself together somewhere else, but his time with the Dolphins needs to end. Is that possible? Well, his 2026 compensation of $54m is already guaranteed, so any acquiring team would owe him that. For the Dolphins, it would be much cheaper to get rid of him now, but they might have to attach draft compensation to do that. Is it worth it to avoid another year of this?
• Jaylen Waddle – WR: Waddle is good, probably the best most consistent player on this team right now. Maybe they want to keep him for whoever is QB of this team next year…or maybe they want to cash in? He is modestly priced for an acquiring team both this year and next too. It is possible they can get a first round pick for him. That’s where they should set the bar at a minimum.
• Darren Waller – TE: Unless he just needed the money, the return of Darren Waller does not make much sense. Staying in Miami makes even less. Waller has only played 3 games but has 10 catches for 4 TDs and 9 first downs. That’s a pretty efficient safety valve. It also sure beats Grant Calcaterra. Getting the 6’6″ Waller makes sense to me as long as it does not cost too much.
• Bradley Chubb – EDGE: In his return from a torn ACL, Chubb has 4 sacks and a forced fumble. His deal has 2 more years left with high salaries, but none of it is guaranteed. If the Dolphins keep him, his cap number balloons next year to $30m+. To lower that they would restructure and push it to the future. What future? A competent GM moves him now. Eagles should be in touch.
• Jaelan Phillips – EDGE: A trade for Phillips is a bet on his future. He has been crushed by injuries and does not look to be completely back yet, but he is still young, showed his pass rush chops during his first 3 seasons, and is a free agent next year. Dolphins would be silly not to recover something for him while they can. I like him more as an offseason signing for the Eagles than a deadline move. We just need more immediate juice.
• Minkah Fitzpatrick – S: Fitzpatrick has been in the league a long time, but he is still very good. Because the Dolphins weren’t the ones to sign his contract, they are not too in his debt with a trade. He is owed $15.6m next year in terms of non-guarenteed salary though. This would be a high-end upgrade at safety for anyone.
• Rasul Douglas – CB: old friend Douglas signed a minimum contract with the Dolphins and has been playing very well. Makes you wonder why the Eagles were completely uninterested in bringing him in. This is an easy YES DO IT NOW move.
• Malik Washington – WR/KR/PR: Washington is a fast 3rd WR who also is very good at returning kicks. His main problem as a deep threat is that he is very small at only 5’8 with small arms. He is only in his 2nd year after being picked in the 6th round, but he would be an upgrade over the NOTHING we are getting out of Tank Bigsby.

Worst Philly Losses of the Last 30 Years

Jets

I remember thinking when they announced they were getting rid of Aaron Rodgers that they did not have any good options. They couldn’t bring back Sam Darnold (or Geno Smith though he wasn’t available yet) and Justin Fields is simply not a good QB. They went with Fields anyway and have predictably failed to launch under Aaron Glenn. They were DOA.

• Breece Hall – RB: Hall has yet to find the endzone this season, but who has on the Jets? I don’t think the Eagles should be interested, but the Jets should look to trade the soon to be free agent. Under no circumstances should they resign him because he is a running back and they are terrible.
• Quinnen Williams – DT: The Jets best player has already forced 3 fumbles this season and is wasting away in the center of this defense. Because the Jets have paid most of his salary and are now deep into his extension, it would not kill them cap wise to get off his deal. This is good news for an acquiring team as well. They should be looking for a 1st round pick as Williams could be a game changer for a team in need, though probably not the Eagles.
• Jermaine Johnson – EDGE: Johnson is the one I want the Eagles to target. As a first round pick, the Jets exercised his club option of $13m for next season. Johnson missed most of last year due to injury and missed some of this season as well, but when he plays he looks good. The Jets might be more motivated to wait until next year assuming he has higher value.
• Andre Cisco – S: Cisco signed a 1/$8.5m deal with the Jets in the offseason after finishing out his rookie deal with the Jags. He has played well, but as a pure rental, the Jets should get whatever they can for him. This would be a good depth move for the Eagles, so we never have to see Sydney Jones play a meaningful defensive snap ever again. He would only cost around $1m and minimal draft compensation.

Saints

Kellen Moore knew what he was getting into. This year is #1 pick or bust for the Saints to draft a QB. That is the only goal. Apparently they do not intend to move franchise cornerstones like Alvin Kamara and Cameron Jordan though.

• Chris Olave – WR: Olave is a solid WR on a team with no QB. Maybe they want him to help the next QB get his feet wet, but that would mean they need to sign him to a big extension. He currently only has his 5th year option for next season to pay, so time is ticking. If they want to pay him $25m+ per season, they need to make that decision soon or trade him for a likely 1st or 2nd round pick.
• Brandin Cooks – WR: It wouldn’t be a trade deadline without the possibility of trading Brandin Cooks. His production has fallen off, but a team could use the sure handed receiver for depth and leadership. There is no need for him to stay on the Saints.
• Juwan Johnson – TE: The Saints not only gave him a 3 year deal, but guaranteed most of it for some reason. That means anyone who trades for the solid Johnson now is dedicating themselves to paying him around $10m next season too. Something to keep in mind.
• Bryan Bresee – DT: Bresee has been good for the Saints and is only in his 3rd year but would also get them a nice haul in a trade. He is extension eligible in the offseason, so like Olave, the Saints should decide if he is part of their future. If not, trading him now would net them the largest bounty.
• Alontae Taylor – CB: Taylor was a CB target for me in the offseason due to his great speed and size. He’s even playing better this season. As a free agent at season’s end, the Eagles should target him to stabilize the secondary and audition for next year.

The Eagles Aren’t Trading AJ Brown, But…

Titans

This team just needs more talent at all costs. The coach was just fired, so I think it is safe to assume that they are not sentimental about anyone at the moment other than their #1 pick QB.

• Calvin Ridley – WR: Ridley’s extension screwed up the market 2 years ago but wasn’t as crazy as it seemed. Most of the deal is to be paid in the form of salary over the next 2 seasons and is nonguaranteed. He is not having a good season, but would be a good move to see if the problem is Ridley or the team. Maybe they want him around to help Cam Ward, but he probably isn’t worth it. Besides…
• Van Jefferson – WR: Jefferson looked like the best receiver on the field in the Titans Raiders game this past weekend.¹ Jefferson signed a minimum deal in the offseason and looks like he might have something with Ward (even though this was his only good game). If the teams is worried about having a receiver for Ward, stick with Jefferson instead of Ridley.
• Chig Okonkwo – TE: Chig has been on my radar since week 2, but he is unfortunately not a good blocker despite doubling as a fullback. He is putting up solid numbers in the final year of his deal and the Titans drafted another TE to take his place. It is time for him to move.
• Jeffery Simmons – DT: Along with Quinnen Williams, Simmons is a trade that could change the NFL. He is one of the best players in the NFL and will waste his prime in Tennessee. Because of his very standard contract, the Titans would not have much dead money in a trade and an acquiring team would only owe him a very reasonable amount over the next few years, all of which is not guaranteed. The Titans should set the floor at a first round pick but aim higher.
• L’Jarius Sneed – CB: Sneed has not exactly worked out with the Titans but he is at least healthy again. After this season, he has no guaranteed money left and is owed about $15m per season. That could be interesting for an acquiring team as long as the compensation isn’t high. If he is reinvigorated by a contender then they have a good CB at a good price. If not, not big deal.
• Jalyn Armour-Davis – CB: I knew he was going to be let go by the Ravens but unfortunately he did not last long enough for the Eagles to get him. He is a former Alabama CB with ideal size and speed that the Titans picked up for nothing. Maybe he is more of the same for the Eagles, but he is still Howie’s kind of guy due to the school and traits.
• Roger McCreary – CB: McCreary is the slot corner in Tennessee and is having a solid season, his last under contract. Acquiring him could allow the Eagles to permanently move Cooper DeJean to the outside if that is something they want to do. It would not cost much.

All statistical, salary, and cap info courtesy of Overthecap.com, Spotrac.com, and Pro-Football-Reference.com

1. As penance for the Eagles loss, I decided to hurt myself watching the Titans Raiders game. ↩︎