4 Eagles who could end up on the trade block before Week 1

In the last two seasons, Howie Roseman and the Philadelphia Eagles have made trades between the start of training camp and Week 1. In 2022, they traded a few draft picks to the New Orleans Saints for C.J. Gardner-Johnson on August 30, and in 2023 they traded a late-round draft pick to the Denver Broncos for Albert Okwuegbunam on October 29.

Yes, those are examples of the Eagles acquiring players, and it’s no secret that Roseman is addicted to trading talent and gaining draft picks so he can trade those assets and gain players later on. This year, the Birds’ roster has some players that could be valuable chips if/when Howie decides to make some late-offseason moves.

The Eagles have drafted pretty well over the past few years, and now they're in a position where it wouldn't kill them to move some players around. Not all of these players are equal, but they all have a possibility to be on a different roster in Week 1

4. James Bradberry could be on the trade block for the Eagles

James Bradberry had an awful season in 2023, and he heard about it. Simply put, he played slow, and opposing quarterbacks acknowledged that. He was targeted 101 times and allowed a career-high 12.3 yards per reception. He had one of his worst years coming off of an incredible 2022 season.

It’s important to mention the fluctuations in play from season to season because that’s been the story over Bradberry’s career. In the six years he has been in the NFL he’s kind of flip-flopped every season between being good and bad.

So, if a team were to trade for him, they would be betting on the possibility that he will have a bounce-back year and betting against the 30-year-old (turning 31 at the beginning of August) having seen his best days on the gridiron.

If Bradberry were to get traded, injury issues in training camp for an opposing team could play a role.

The alternative to trading Bradberry is straight-up cutting him. So not only would Eagles fans not shed a tear if he was traded, but they'd be elated that he still had value at all.

3. Eagles could trade more cornerback depth in Eli Ricks

The Eagles drafted two defensive backs in the first two rounds of the 2024 draft, Quinyon Mitchell and Cooper DeJean, turning one of the weakest parts of the Eagles' defense into potentially one of the strongest. That means that some of the depth players might get shipped off. Ricks will probably be that guy.

Eli looked good last training camp and preseason, which earned him a higher spot on the depth chart than Kelee Ringo. Then, during the season, Ringo outplayed Ricks and took over that spot. 

By no means is he a bad player, but if someone calls Howie looking for a defensive back going into Week 1, Ricks would be the name he offers up if Bradberry is already gone.

2. Could Kenny Pickett get traded twice in the same offseason?

The Eagles traded a 2024 fourth-round pick to the Pittsburgh Steelers for Kenny Pickett on March 16, 2024. If there is one team and fanbase that understands and appreciates the value of a backup QB, it’s the Eagles. 

Similar to James Bradberry, a team is only trading for Pickett because of an injury. He’s 26 years old, a former first-round draft pick, and has starting experience. He can be valuable to other teams. If a team is in dire straits with their QB1 during the preseason, Pickett could be a player to target as a replacement.

In 2023, the Eagles drafted Tanner McKee in the sixth round and he played pretty well in the preseason games. He’s since spent a year in the quarterback room with Jalen Hurts and Marcus Mariota, so there’s reason to believe that he developed. 

There’s a potential for a QB2 battle during the Eagles’ training camp, so if McKee gains the team’s trust and another team needs a usable QB1, Pickett could find himself on another team's roster going into Week 1.

Pickett hasn’t stolen the heart of anyone in Philly, so if he gets dished out in a trade, it wouldn’t really register on anyone’s radar.

1. Eagles defensive line depth could be tested

Milton Williams is a 25-year-old defensive tackle and a third-round pick from the 2021 draft. He’s a great player who has spent time rotating with stars like Javon Hargrave, Linval Joseph, Ndamukong Suh, Jordan Davis, Jalen Carter and Fletcher Cox.

Given the competition that he had to battle for playing time, and his incredibly unassuming name, his great talent is relatively hidden. It wouldn’t be a good idea for the Eagles to trade Williams because of their lack of depth at the position. 

If they did trade Williams, it would stink. He’s been valuable and the team would be able to get a decent haul for a young contributor playing a difficult position, but that wouldn't stop it from hurting.