It’s been reported that the Philadelphia Eagles are willing to deal quarterback Kevin Kolb. For some NFL team, Kolb will likely be a bargain, at least in the first year. For a first round pick, and probably some more future assets, the Eagles will send away Kolb this offseason and try to sign Michael Vick to a long term deal.
Around this time of year, the gears in my head are turning at a rapid pace. I know there is no CBA in place right now, but eventually there will be, and eventually teams will be able to wheel and deal players. The Eagles indicated they would be willing to accept future pick in any trade, so what kind of deal could we be looking at?
Let’s look at the Jay Cutler deal. The Broncos sent Cutler and a fifth round pick to the Chicago Bears for two first round picks, a third round pick, and quarterback Kyle Orton. That was a huge haul for both teams. The Broncos parlayed their picks from Chicago in to multiple other picks, and Kyle Orton has been a serviceable starting quarterback. Jay Cutler and the Bears went tot he NFC Championship game in 2010, and used that fifth round pick on a small school receiver named Johnny Knox.
I don’t think the Eagles can get the same kind of deal here, but they can use it as perhaps the extreme. Cutler was coming off of a Pro Bowl season for the Broncos. Perhaps a better trade to compare here would be the Matt Schaub trade. Schaub was sent to the Houston Texans in exchange for two second round picks, and they swapped spots in the 2007 NFL Draft.
The value here is roughly equal to a 1st and 3rd round pick for Schaub. I think you are looking at a similar deal for Kolb.
So how about this three team trade proposal:
Eagles Receive:
- 2nd overall pick (via Denver)
Vikings Receive:
- QB Kevin Kolb
Broncos Receive:
- 12th overall pick (through Philly via Minnesota)
- 23rd overall pick (via Philadelphia)
- 85th overall pick (via Philadelphia)
- Future 2nd round pick (through PHI via MIN)
- Future 2nd round pick (via PHI)
This would certainly be a trade of epic proportions, and you will look at it thinking the Denver Broncos are getting an absolute coup from the Eagles who have given up essentially Kevin Kolb, two first round picks, two second round picks, and a third round pick for the #2 selection in the draft, but consider this–the Denver Broncos in 2007 offered the Detroit Lions two first round picks, two second round picks, linebacker Al Wilson, and some other combination of picks for the rights to draft Calvin Johnson, a freakish athlete who has been a very good player for the Detroit Lions, and is a perennial All Pro in the making.
The Eagles do not need Kevin Kolb, and they do not need a ton of draft picks right now. What they need is a playmaker like Patrick Peterson, whom they would have the right to draft with the 2nd overall pick. They use the picks they received from Minnesota and a combination of their own picks to make it all happen.
The biggest hang up in this deal would be whether or not the Broncos want to move down this far, or if they even think they can while still getting the player they want. 10 spots is a long way to move down for a team in desperate need of an elite talent. What the Broncos could then do is parlay some of their new assets (namely the #12 pick) and try to move back into the top 10 by trading QB Kyle Orton and the #12 pick to a team like San Francisco for the 7th overall pick and a 4th round pick. In such a scenario as this, the draft could go as follows:
1. Carolina Panthers: Cam Newton, QB, Auburn
2. Philadelphia Eagles (from Denver): Patrick Peterson, CB, LSU
3. Buffalo Bills: Blaine Gabbert, QB, Missouri
4. Cincinnati Bengals: Nick Fairley, DT, Auburn
5. Arizona Cardinals: Von Miller, LB, Texas A&M
6. Cleveland Browns: Da’Quan Bowers, DE, Clemson
7. Denver Broncos (from San Francisco): Marcell Dareus, DT, Alabama
8. Tennessee Titans: Ryan Mallett, QB, Arkansas
9. Dallas Cowboys: Prince Amukamara, CB, Nebraska
10. Washington Redskins: AJ Green, WR, Georgia
I know, it sounds like something straight out of franchise mode in Madden 11, but I love to think about “What if?” situations.