The Philadelphia Eagles and Buffalo Bills made a huge trade, swapping LeSean McCoy for Kiko Alonso.
NFL free agency is just days away, but some teams are already working on improving their rosters. The Cleveland Browns signed Josh McCown, who was released and available to sign before the free agency period. Then the Buffalo Bills and Philadelphia Eagles pulled off a blockbuster trade.
The Bills are parting ways with linebacker Kiko Alonso, who is incredibly young and ridiculously talented. He will be a linebacker for a franchise to build around. The Eagles are going to ship off running back LeSean McCoy, one of the best running backs in the league.
Filed to ESPN: Bills have notified LB Kiko Alonso he is going to be traded to Philadelphia for RB LeSean McCoy. Trade official next week.
— Adam Schefter (@AdamSchefter) March 3, 2015
Other reporters tweeted out shortly after Schefter confirming the report.
Yes, that is the real Adam Schefter, for those who are wondering.
— Doug Farrar ✍ (@NFL_DougFarrar) March 3, 2015
I can confirm the report by @AdamSchefter that the Bills have traded LB Kiko Alonso to the Eagles for RB LeSean McCoy
— Michael Silver (@MikeSilver) March 3, 2015
Of course this is interesting for various reasons. Not so many drafts ago the Buffalo Bills took a promising C.J. Spiller out of Clemson. Spiller, along with Fred Jackson, had the makings of an incredible backfield duo. Unfortunately both dealt with injuries preventing the Bills to use them to their full advantage.
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The Bills were reportedly exploring Adrian Peterson, and while there were reports denying that claim, it looks like the Bills were exploring trading for a running back all along. They wound up with a two-time All-Pro who has led the league in rushing yards in 2013 and touchdowns in 2011.
The Eagles on the other hand get a linebacker who missed all of the 2014 season with an injury. In his rookie season he did manage to record four interceptions, two sacks, forced a fumble, recover two fumbles and had 159 total tackles.
If you want to read tea leaves, this could point to Eagles coach Chip Kelly trying to bring in one of his former Oregon players and restructure the offense. Let us also not forget that Alonso is familiar with Chip Kelly, playing his college football at Oregon as well.
Or you can say this points to the value of running backs in the present NFL, that a linebacker who missed the whole season with an injury is more valuable than a running back who lead the league in rushing two seasons ago.
McCoy isn’t even that old, just 26, but he does have six seasons of NFL wear and tear on him.
[UPDATE:] Drew Rosenhaus says there is no trade as of yet.
I just spoke with the Eagles organization and there is no trade for LeSean at this time. There have been discussions but nothing finalized
— Drew Rosenhaus (@DrewJRosenhaus) March 3, 2015
Next: NFL Mock Draft: Post-Combine Edition
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