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Philadelphia Eagles: A trade scenario involving Jerry Hughes has been discussed

By Justin Grasso

ORCHARD PARK, NY - NOVEMBER 09: Jerry Hughes #55 of the Buffalo Bills celebrates a tackle for a loss against the Kansas City Chiefs during the first half at Ralph Wilson Stadium on November 9, 2014 in Orchard Park, New York. (Photo by Brett Carlsen/Getty Images)
ORCHARD PARK, NY - NOVEMBER 09: Jerry Hughes #55 of the Buffalo Bills celebrates a tackle for a loss against the Kansas City Chiefs during the first half at Ralph Wilson Stadium on November 9, 2014 in Orchard Park, New York. (Photo by Brett Carlsen/Getty Images) /
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EAST RUTHERFORD, NJ – OCTOBER 11: Rasul Douglas #32 of the Philadelphia Eagles celebrates in the fourth quarter against the New York Giants on October 11,2018 at MetLife Stadium in East Rutherford, New Jersey. (Photo by Elsa/Getty Images)
EAST RUTHERFORD, NJ – OCTOBER 11: Rasul Douglas #32 of the Philadelphia Eagles celebrates in the fourth quarter against the New York Giants on October 11,2018 at MetLife Stadium in East Rutherford, New Jersey. (Photo by Elsa/Getty Images) /

A look at the potential trade scenario

Say the Eagles want to upgrade their defensive line – who would they give a call to? None other than the Buffalo Bills. We’ve seen in the past the Eagles have had their fair share of deals with Buffalo. Philly gave them LeSean McCoy in return for Kiko Alonso. More recently, the Eagles acquired Ronald Darby in return for Jordan Matthews and a pick. In this scenario, Philly gets on the phone with the Bills to put together a bit of a blockbuster to give and take on the defense.

Here we go:

Philadelphia receives: DE Jerry Hughes

Buffalo receives: DE Josh Sweat, CB Rasul Douglas, 2020 Fourth-round pick

"The Eagles’ need for pass rushers has been both exaggerated and understated this offseason, but Howie Roseman openly prioritizes the defensive line above other spots and is certainly no stranger to surprise trades. Anyone can make a case for signing Joe Schmo the So-So Free Agent or banking on fourth-round pick Shareef Miller to replace departed (Michael Bennett) and likely soon-to-be departed (Chris Long) vets. But if we’re talking moves that truly boost the chances of a Super Bowl run, this one stands out like a sore thumb in that it welcomes both a serious and immediate upgrade."

Jerry Hughes is an eight-year seasoned veteran. He’s notched double-digit sack numbers in 2013 and 2014 but recently collected seven total a season ago. In terms of availability, Hughes is reliable. The last season that he missed time was back in 2011, which happened to be his Sophomore year. Could a 30-year-old Jerry Hughes be an upgrade for the Eagles? Absolutely! However, is giving up this much in return for a defensive end really worth it?

In my honest opinion, the Eagles get fleeced here. Giving up on two prospects, who are under the age of 25, plus an additional mid-round pick is just too much for an aging veteran who is set to become a free agent after the 2019 NFL season. Plus, Hughes counts for $10 million against the cap this year. While the Eagles are no longer struggling in terms of cap space, this definitely does not help them out financially moving forward, that’s for sure.

The idea of trading Douglas isn’t too far-fetched. Neither is the idea of the Eagles snagging a defensive end at some point in the offseason depending on the progress of Shareef Miller and Josh Sweat. But this exact trade scenario doesn’t make it seem like the Eagles are better off. As a team who is already considered to be on the ‘old’ side, it’s probably not a good look to dish out two young players with potential for a regressing player who turns 31 in August.

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