LATE TWIST: Eagles table a blockbuster in excess of $20 Million for All-Pro Star

According to Philadelphia Eagles reports, general manager Howie Roseman is working the phones ahead of the NFL trade deadline on October 31, 2023, at 4 p.m. Eastern. There are numerous NFL trade speculations circulating that the Eagles will make another huge addition.

Connor Orr of Sports Illustrated put out a list of nine moves he hopes to see happen. One fascinating trade is the Eagles acquiring Denver Broncos standout cornerback Patrick Surtain II. In exchange for Surtain, Philadelphia gives up two first-round picks (2024, 2025) and a third-round pick in 2025 to Denver.

Is it worth this much draft capital for the Eagles to add another lockdown corner? Let’s look into Surtain’s potential in Philadelphia.

With no obvious deficiencies on the roster, the Eagles are already a Super Bowl candidate. Orr believes this is a transaction done with the intention of making another deep postseason run.

“This would be the ultimate Roseman move, sending the Eagles into the postseason with Darius Slay, James Bradberry and Patrick Surtain II as their top cornerbacks,” Orr said on the 25th of October. “I believe Surtain can be had, despite being regarded as the one untouchable commodity in this upcoming Broncos fire sale.” Denver requires draft equity. It must be restarted.

“While corner is not the biggest weak point for the Eagles (before the Kevin Byard trade, Justin Simmons might have made more sense for Philadelphia), there is so much flexibility for defensive coordinator Sean Desai when you can confidently take away such large swaths of the field, or unleash more pass rushers with confidence that the back end of your defense won’t fall apart.”
Surtain’s allure stems from the fact that the former Alabama great is on a team-friendly four-year, $20.9 million contract. Surtain signed the contract after the Broncos picked him with the ninth overall choice in the 2021 NFL Draft.

Surtain’s salary for 2023 is $940,000, with a cap hit of $5.7 million. With a $1 million salary and a $6.6 million cap hit in 2024, these figures remain fair. Surtain’s fifth-year option for 2025 would also be available to the Eagles.

With this option, Philadelphia would receive an outstanding cornerback on a rookie contract for an extra two seasons. Concerning the cost, it is understandable to be suspicious that Denver will be able to obtain three high draft picks in exchange for Surtain, as Broncos rumors imply.

Surtain has 30 tackles, 8 pass deflections, and an interception through eight games in 2023. Surtain’s Pro Football Focus grade during this time has dropped from 86.8 to 71.2.

According to Albert Breer of Sports Illustrated, the most likely Eagles trade is for an off-ball linebacker. According to the NFL insider, the Vikings’ Jordan Hicks and the Broncos’ Josey Jewell are two potential possibilities.

“Philly GM Howie Roseman has been active on the phones, and my sense is it’s both to see whether there’s big game out there for him to hunt, and to look for some off-ball linebacker help,” Breer wrote on the last day of the month. “On the latter, both Minnesota’s Jordan Hicks (a former Eagle) and Denver’s Josey Jewell (who played for Philly DC Sean Desai’s mentor, Vic Fangio) could fit the bill.”