The Flip Side

Posted: March 8th, 2018 | Author: | Filed under: Philadelphia Eagles | Comments Off on The Flip Side

The Eagles stole Michael Bennett from the Seahawks. The Rams stole Marcus Peters from the Chiefs. The Giants stole Alec Ogletree from the Rams.

It can certainly seem that way when you see a big name player dealt for a mid to late-round pick or two. Pro Bowl players should take more than Day 3 draft picks, right? If not, someone has to be getting a steal.

There is some truth in Ross’s words. Teams don’t just give away players for the heck of it. Let’s talk about the Seahawks and Bennett.

Seattle is going through a transition. They had a historically good defense from 2011-2016. That group did some amazing things, but now several of those players are in their 30’s and the team is having to let some of them go. Cliff Avril, coming off a neck injury, could be cut. Richard Sherman, coming off an Achilles injury, will be cut. Earl Thomas is available via trade. Bennett isn’t as valuable to a team going through a youth movement as a title contender.

The Seahawks are paying Russell Wilson big money. They were paying him on a rookie contract when they built the defense and started handing out big salaries to the defensive stars. The team wants to pay big money to DL Shelton Richardson, a player in his prime. If you pay him, the cap room has to come from somewhere.

One of the things that made Bennett expendable was the play of Dion Jordan, the former future Eagle who never made it to Philly. He played well late in 2017 and Seattle is willing to take a chance on him. He’s cheap and talented, so the decision makes sense.

There is also the issue that Bennett is a vocal guy with a strong personality.

Seattle was a dysfunctional team even when they were winning big. Pete Carroll ran that place like a circus and there was tension between star players, especially offense vs defense. I’m sure that situation didn’t bring out the best in Bennett.

The Eagles are a very different kind of team. There are strong, vocal leaders, but they all get along. That won’t last forever, but the team is in a really good place right now. You can bring in some big personalities and it won’t poison the locker room. Eagles players do a good job of policing themselves and Doug Pederson is a strong leader as well.

There are no guarantees that Bennett won’t become a problem, but the Eagles didn’t make this move blindly. They know his reputation. You can bet that Pederson, Howie Roseman and Jeffrey Lurie had a talk about the risk/reward nature of this move. With the Eagles hoping to win another Super Bowl (sexiest words ever!), adding a good pass rusher is worth the risk. If the team plays with the lead as much in 2018 as they did last year, they will need all the pass rushers they can get.

One thing to keep in mind as you evaluate a trade down the road is that different circumstances can help a player out. Darren Sproles looked about done when the Saints dealt him. Playing for a new team brought out the best in him and he did turn out to be a steal for the Eagles. That wasn’t going to happen if he stayed in New Orleans. The change had a major impact on him.

*****

The Rams have added CBs Aqib Talib, Marcus Peters and Sam Shields this offseason. They will let Trumaine Johnson walk in free agency.

Feels funny to see teams gunning for the Eagles like this. It is also a reminder that the Eagles can’t stand still. The Vikings, Rams and other contenders will be aggressive in trying to catch the Eagles.

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