Late on Sunday afternoon, the Eagles acquired John Metchie from the Houston Texans to bolster their WR depth.
It probably won’t be the last trade general manager Howie Roseman makes before the season. An AFC GM told NFL insider Jordan Schultz the Eagles aren’t done making trades.
Roseman’s next move could be for a defensive starter or a key depth piece. He could trade a few of their 13 draft picks next year to get a deal done.
Landing an impact player this close to the season will be difficult, but not impossible.
Roseman traded for former Eagles safety C.J. Gardner-Johnson two weeks before the 2022 season — solving a major need. Gardner-Johnson amassed six interceptions that year and was one of the team’s best defensive players.
Maybe the Eagles will add two more defensive players before Week 1.
Cornerback is still a need because nobody ran away with the CB2 job. The starter across from Quinyon Mitchell — Adoree’ Jackson or Jakorian Bennett — could be the defense’s biggest liability. The Eagles’ recent trade for Bennett shouldn’t stop them from upgrading the position.
Among the positions the Eagles are most likely to add, cornerback ranks second behind edge rusher.
Nolan Smith and Jalyx Hunt are a fine starting edge duo, but the Eagles’ four-man rotation looks weak.
Even though Josh Uche has had a strong summer, it’s risky to bet on him. He hasn’t produced in two years and could disappear once the season starts.
Azeez Ojulari was disruptive in the Eagles’ two joint practices against the Cleveland Browns and had a sack in Saturday’s preseason game. But it’s hard to forget about the first three weeks where he did nothing.
It would be better to have Uche and Ojulari as fourth and fifth edge rushers. Philadelphia’s No. 3 edge rusher needs to have a high upside and floor.
The Eagles don’t need reinforcements at linebacker and defensive tackle. Rookie Drew Mukuba is the favorite to start at free safety, but the Eagles could trade for more depth.
Guessing who the Eagles will acquire is difficult to do. But edge rushers and cornerbacks on rookie deals or expiring contracts will be of interest.
Here are a few pass rushers and cornerbacks that meet the criteria (these players have not been connected to the Eagles, but they would make sense as a fit).
Entering the final year of his rookie deal, David Ojabo is expected to be the Ravens’ fifth pass rusher, but perhaps the Ravens would move off him for the right price. Ojabo has had a difficult career — he missed his rookie season (2022) with an Achilles tear and most of the 2023 season with an ACL tear — but he still has untapped potential and could be productive in a different situation. Before tearing his Achilles at Michigan’s Pro Day, he was considered a first-round talent, but the injury caused him to drop to the second round. Can he regain his form? It’s worth taking a shot on.
Chiefs cornerback Joshua Williams has been rumored to be on Kansas City’s roster bubble. He has been a solid spot starter during his first three NFL seasons (2022-2024), but the Chiefs are deep enough at cornerback to be okay without him. The Eagles wouldn’t have to give up much to get Williams, who started six games for the Chiefs last season and ranked as the 90th best cornerback out of 222 qualifiers, according to Pro Football Focus. That’s an above-average grade for PFF. It’s also a better grade than what PFF gave Bennett last season.
The Atlanta Falcons drafted two pass rushers (James Pearce Jr. and Jalon Walker) in the first round of the 2025 NFL Draft and signed Leonard Floyd in free agency, so fourth-year edge rusher Arnold Ebiketie doesn’t fit into the long-term picture. There has been no indication the Falcons want to trade Ebiketie, but the Eagles would be smart to check in. The 26-year-old, who has finished with six sacks in consecutive seasons, will be a free agent after the year.
Colts cornerback JuJu Brents has been sidelined during training camp with a hamstring injury and missed most of the 2024 season with a knee issue. Brents also missed eights game during his rookie season (2023) with multiple injuries. A change of scenery could be needed, especially if he doesn’t win a starting job. The Eagles hosted Brents on a pre-draft visit in 2023 and might have considered drafting him with their second-round pick, but the Colts picked him in the top half of the second round.
Thank you for relying on us to provide the journalism you can trust. Please consider supporting us with a subscription. Cayden Steele may be reached atCSteele@njadvancemedia.com
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