NFL Trade Deadline: Grades and reactions to huge moves

Jay Ajayi to the Eagles

Grade for Eagles: A

This was a very nice move by the Eagles to go out and get themselves a back that made the Pro Bowl last season. Obviously, you don’t always get the ‘best’ version of every player you acquire, whether free agency or trades, but the Eagles have now got two backs on their roster that combined for 26 rushing touchdowns last year (Ajayi, Blount).

Dipping into the AFC East pool of backs once again, the Eagles have given up a very small amount (the second of their three fourth round picks in 2018) to get a player they feel can help them in a playoff run.

When you find a young quarterback like Carson Wentz, it’s important to surround him with as much talent as possible. The Eagles have done that, even if Ajayi’s health only lasts the duration of his contract.

Ajayi’s cap hit this year is just over $325,000, and next year is just over $700,000. This was a smart risk by Philadelphia.

Grade for Dolphins: C-

I like that Adam Gase takes control of his locker room. There have certainly been some rumors of apathy and unrest coming out of Miami, but this is a very interesting move for them.

The Dolphins went out and signed Jay Cutler when Ryan Tannehill went down for the year. They traded for Julius Thomas in the offseason. The reason the locker room is a mess and guys don’t care enough is because you keep signing guys that have set an example, historically, of not caring.

Jay Cutler is notorious for that. Thomas has always been on the injury report for some reason or another.

Even if Ajayi was struggling a bit this year, I don’t know that it was completely justified to dump him like this. Even so, the Dolphins got back a decent draft pick for him, and this move could perhaps get their locker room back on track, so I gave them a below average grade.