Should Eagles cut bait, trade Jalen Reagor as interest grows?

The Philadelphia Eagles could reportedly make wide receiver Jalen Reagor available for trade.

As the 2022 NFL Draft rapidly approaches, Jalen Reagor’s time with the Philadelphia Eagles could be coming to an end.

According to Geoff Mosher of Inside the Birds, the former first-round pick wide receiver out of TCU does have a relatively robust trade market. “Other teams will be interested in acquiring Reagor,” wrote Mosher. “Teams have already called to check on the third-year receiver’s availability.”

In two seasons with the Eagles, Reagor has 64 catches for 695 yards and three touchdowns. While Howie Roseman is still the general manager who drafted him No. 21 overall, Nick Sirianni was not the team’s head coach during his rookie season. To make things even worse, the very next pick made in the 2020 NFL Draft was LSU wide receiver Justin Jefferson to the Minnesota Vikings.

Given the dead-cap issues, it makes way more sense for the Eagles to deal Reagor before June 1 ($3,605,700) than to release him ($7,841,763). The Eagles would save some money as opposed to cutting him. Of course, the dead-cap ramifications will be far less punitive if a decision is made on Reagor after June 1. Doing so would result in Philadelphia gaining 2023 NFL Draft compensation.

With a fifth-year option still on the table for a possible trade partner, this is why Reagor has value.

Philadelphia Eagles could make wide receiver Jalen Reagor available for trade

Simply put, the Eagles need to get exponentially better in the receiving game if they want to ensure themselves of a return trip to the NFL playoffs. While The Birds massively overachieved to be the No. 7 seed a season ago, they could fall back a few spots in the standings because they no longer possess the surprise factor they once did when everybody though the team was rebuilding.

Keep in mind that Philadelphia was the primary team interested in trading for troubled Atlanta Falcons wide receiver Calvin Ridley this offseason. Atlanta would have dealt the former first-rounder out of Alabama to Philadelphia had the Falcons not caught wind of the impending gambling allegations that resulted in Ridley’s suspension for the entire 2022 NFL campaign.

Ultimately, the Eagles clearly whiffed on drafting a few wide receivers. While DeVonta Smith looks to be a success, Reagor has not and J.J. Arçega-Whiteside looks to be a massive bust. With this being a deep receiver draft, perhaps Roseman can right a wrong from a few years back and get Jalen Hurts the wideout he needs to be successful in this league? Hurts’ growth is so paramount.

All it will take is for one team to have major interest in Reagor before the Eagles finally part ways.