Philadelphia Eagles: Top trade-up targets in 2020 NFL Draft

With the departure of Jenkins in free agency this month, the Philadelphia Eagles are potentially re-living history all over again. Similar to how Jenkins was released with little apparent appetite to re-sign him from the front office, Brian Dawkins was also told to get backing, causing a locker room leader to leave while Eagles fans mourned a Hall of Fame safety departing.

Like Dawkins, Jenkins had risen up the ranks of the team’s defense, eventually becoming one of the most respected leaders in the locker room. Like Dawkins, letting Jenkins go was part of a plan to make the roster younger. And like Dawkins, the team said goodbye a few seasons too early.

https://twitter.com/BrianDawkins/status/1240015827077906434

The biggest difference between the situations is that Dawkins went to the AFC and, bar one game in 2009 which the Philadelphia Eagles won, the two sides wouldn’t be expected to see each other during the regular season. Jenkins, on the other hand, went to the New Orleans Saints, a team that has been a contender in the NFC for the last several seasons and is in fact on the schedule for Philadelphia this year.

Many Philadelphia Eagles fans are angry and confused as to why Jenkins couldn’t be re-signed to a contract that would see him retire in midnight green. Jenkins was due to make $7.8 million in 2020 with the Philadelphia Eagles. His new contract with the Saints is a four year, $32 million contract. Averaging out to be….$8 million a season, per NBC Sports.

While the plan to get younger is understandable from Roseman’s perspective, he has now set a trap for himself that many general managers set unwittingly. If Jenkins is even an iota more successful in 2020 with the Saints than his replacement is in Philadelphia, Roseman will be derided by the media and fan base alike and added to the list of “bad moves” Roseman has made since his Super Bowl season in 2017-2018.

To their credit, both Dawkins and Jenkins left on a high note. Dawkins eventually came back for a short stint working in the Philadelphia Eagles front office. Jenkins published an open letter to the city in The Player Tribune, thanking the fans, teammates and coaches.

What a class act.

When the Philadelphia Eagles said goodbye to Dawkins, they had no one in the wings that was ready to replace the role he had on the team. It wasn’t until they signed Jenkins in 2014 did the safety position finally stay solid for the team. This time around is not much different, as Mills is expected to take Jenkins spot at safety.

Coming into the 2020 NFL Draft, the safety position was already going to be a need, as there was no solid number two safety on the roster in 2019. Besides Mills, Roseman re-signed safety Rodney McLeod who has been good when healthy the last two seasons. But he is 29-years old and did not do nearly as much as Jenkins did on the field.

The safety draft pool in 2020 is pretty shallow, meaning the Philadelphia Eagles will have to move up to draft one if they hope to replace Jenkins in 2020. Grant Delpit from LSU wouldn’t replace every role that Jenkins had on defense. After all, Jenkins played box safety, pass-rusher, special teams, wide cornerback, slot cornerback and free safety at one point or another in 2020.

But Delpit would help alleviate the one problem this defense needs the most help with, which is coverage. As a pass-defender for LSU, Delpit is the most talented safety in the 2020 NFL Draft, as he makes incredible plays in coverage against top-notch receivers in the SEC. His speed and fluidity of motion make for an incredible highlight reel. Delpit is a defensive back with a wide receiver’s athletic ability.

He is far from perfect though. There is a reverse highlight reel out there of every missed tackle he made at LSU, which is worrisome from a general manager’s perspective. His run-defense is mediocre as well. Delpit is super talented at some things and not so talented elsewhere. The fact he is considered the number one safety in the 2020 NFL Draft should give the reader some perspective at how light the safety class is on talent this year.

A big wrench that will disrupt this plan is where Delpit is expected to be drafted. He is projected to be drafted somewhere in the middle of the first round. The latest PFF Big Board has him at 16th which belongs to the Atlanta Falcons.

The three draft teams proceeding the Falcons are the Dallas Cowboys, Miami Dolphins and Raiders. The Falcons and the three proceeding draft teams all have safety listed as either primary or secondary needs in the 2020 NFL Draft, according to The Draft Network.

There will likely be a strong market for that draft pick. If the Philadelphia Eagles can get it together and trade up for Delpit, they would be adding another weapon in the secondary. The secondary allowed an average of 241 passing yards per game in 2019, ranked nineteenth according to NFL.com.

Replacing Jenkins was always going to be a tall order. Delpit is unlikely to replace every issue in the Eagles secondary. But if he can mitigate some of the problems caused by Jenkin’s absence, the move could be well worth the cost.