December 23, 2024

Eagles picked to land four-time All-Pro WR at NFL trade deadline to address top weakness

Eagles picked to land four-time All-Pro WR at NFL trade deadline to address top weakness image

The Philadelphia Eagles may have found their identity on offense over the past two weeks.

In back-to-back wins — their first win streak in nearly a full calendar year — the Eagles have gone run heavy with their play calling, played turnover-free ball on offense, and have leaned on a defense that’s gotten after the quarterback and now hasn’t allowed an offensive touchdown in nine consecutive quarters.

While the Eagles are rightfully moving up Monday morning NFL power rankings, it’s important to keep their current win streak in perspective. Rushing the football and playing  defense might be a winning formula against the Cleveland Browns and New York Giants of the world, but what about a potential NFC playoff game against the Detroit Lions?

At some point, the Eagles are going to need to get their passing game rolling. While they have two of the NFL’s best wide receivers in A.J. Brown and DeVonta Smith, their overall depth at that position is subpar.

Many believe general manager Howie Roseman and the Eagles will make a move before the NFL’s Nov. 5  trade deadline. After big-name receivers Davante Adams (New York Jets) and Amari Cooper (Buffalo Bills) changed teams last week, could Roseman and the Eagles take a similar approach to bolster their passing attack entering the season’s stretch run?

The Bleacher Report scouting department recently linked the Eagles to Tennessee Titans wide receiver DeAndre Hopkins. Here was the site’s full take on a potential trade:

Hopkins could make some sense for Philly as a five-time Pro Bowl selection and four-time NFL All-Pro.

He only has 15 receptions on the season, so the asking price shouldn’t be huge. His best game of 2024 — seven catches for 73 yards and a touchdown against the Green Bay Packers — showed he still has plenty left in the tank. He was set to earn $13 million from the Titans entering the final season of a two-year contract, so money shouldn’t be much of an issue.

The Eagles could line Hopkins up opposite Brown in three-wide sets, while deploying Smith in the slot. A move like that would push Jahan Dotson to WR4 — a much better spot for him — and provide some insurance for a potential late-season injury to any of the team’s top pass catchers.

Cooper’s former situation with the Browns made him super attractive as a trade target. With that potential deal off the table, a move for Hopkins — or anything to address the team’s top weakness, for that matter — feels like a reasonable expectation for Roseman and the Eagles at this year’s trade deadline.

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