Philadelphia Eagles: Finding Trade Partners for Eric Rowe

There is no doubt what had been on the agenda for the Philadelphia Eagles in 2016. Erase any and all indications that Chip Kelly was ever the head coach.

At the heart of that effort has been the remarkable speed with which the front office has unloaded most of the key free agents and draft picks that were signed during the Kelly era. Perhaps the slightest hint of trolling involved since Kelly did much of the same when he ran off proven veterans like LeSean McCoy and Jeremy Maclin.

The next man who appears to have worn out his welcome directly following the coaches’ exit is defensive back Eric Rowe. Expectations were high for him last season as a rookie but instead he struggled at times. Now with a new coaching staff and new defensive scheme coming in, his fit in their future plans have changed.

Eliot Shorr-Parks of NJ.com revealed that the Eagles are ready to move on from the former 2nd round pick.

"“According to a person familiar with the situation who requested anonymity, the Eagles are shopping cornerback Eric Rowe. Rowe was a 2015 second-round pick, but that was when former head coach Chip Kelly was drafting, not Howie Roseman, who is now running the personnel department. A personnel member from another organization in the NFC, speaking on condition of anonymity, told NJ Advance Media that the Eagles have been trying to trade Rowe for most of training camp.”"

The hype around Rowe began during the pre-draft process in 2015. He emerged almost out of nowhere from Utah and blew up the scouting combine with top scores in every drill including a 4.45 in the 40-yard dash. That made many believe his switch to cornerback was the smart move, especially given his long 6’1″ frame. No doubt he looked the part of a prototypical boundary corner teams loves these days. It’s little wonder former head coach Chip Kelly took interest.

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However, there were some warnings around him even then. Concerns were his timed speed didn’t measure up on the field and that he exhibited stiff hips when trying to turn and run with receivers down the field. Sure enough by the end of his rookie season he was ranked 94th among cornerbacks in pass coverage rating by Pro Football Focus. This has led many to believe it might be best for him to move back to safety where he played his first three years in college.

If that’s the case, what teams might be willing to take a chance? Of course compensation will be an issue, but from a standpoint of need and fit, a few landing spots stick out. The Pittsburgh Steelers are still trying to find help at safety. Robert Golden and Mike Mitchell are their projected starters at present. Then there is the Baltimore Ravens who might jump at the chance to have him learn from Pro Bowler Eric Weddle. One also can’t discount the Chicago Bears, who remain steadfast in their search for more playmakers in their secondary.

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