The Philadelphia Eagles made several moves in the lead up to the NFL trade deadline, acquiring cornerbacks Michael Carter II and Jaire Alexander as well as edge rusher Jaelan Phillips, all in separate deals.
The Eagles definitely needed to bolster their secondary and their pass rush, and they did just that, although there is no question that the players come with some caveats (such as the injury histories of both Alexander and Phillips, for example).
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But did Philadelphia almost strike a much bigger move before the deadline?
Rumors swirled over the preceding days that Philly was actually making a push to acquire Cleveland Browns defensive end Myles Garrett, and Eagles general manager essentially confirmed the rumors following the deadline.
“When there’s opportunities to be aggressive for the right players, we’re not going to sit on our hands,” Roseman said. “You don’t have great success without taking great risks. … We can’t be afraid to fail. I think a lot of times for you to get to the top you have to be willing to take chances that may look controversial at times. …. I won’t live with regret.”
Philadelphia Eagles general manager Howie Roseman. Credit:Â Stephen Lew-Imagn Images.
There was speculation that Philadelphia was actually willing to part with three first-round picks for Garrett, but that was never — and likely never will be — confirmed.
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Philly’s pass rush has been a significant problem all season long, thanks much in part to the offseason departures of Josh Sweat and Milton Williams.
The Eagles made numerous efforts to replace them. They signed Josh Uche and Za’Darius Smith, but Uche has logged just one sack in eight games, and the latter abruptly retired. They also added Azeez Ojulari in free agency, but he has been a complete bust.
To make matters worse, edge rusher Nolan Smith is on the injured reserve list.
Phillips should definitely bolster the unit so long as he can stay healthy, but obviously, Garrett would have been a much more powerful addition.
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Garrett has posted eight straight double-digit sack campaigns and already has 10 sacks through eight games this season. The 29-year-old signed a four-year, $160 million extension with the Browns back in March, so they understandably didn’t have much interest in moving him now.