The Eagles are giving “serious consideration” to the prospect of trading for Le’Veon Bell, Jason La Canfora of CBS Sports said during a radio interview with Jon Marks and Ike Reese of Sports Radio WIP (Twitter link).
The Eagles have been mulling this trade for a while, per La Canfora, who believes a third-round pick may be enough to get a deal done (Twitter link).
Bell said he would report to the Steelers during their Week 7 bye, but La Canfora doubts he’ll ever play for Pittsburgh again, citing the bridge being burned. Pittsburgh’s still listening to offers, and one could come from the other Pennsylvania franchise. The Eagles’ interest surfaced over the weekend, with La Canfora reporting the defending Super Bowl champs were among the pursuing franchises. The Jets and 49ers join them.
This year’s trade deadline looms in just less than four weeks. The Eagles would have to clear some cap space to afford Bell. While the 26-year-old All-Pro’s price tag continues to drop because of his holdout, it’s still north of $10MM. Philadelphia has $4.3MM in cap space as of Wednesday. The obvious space-clearing move would be to unload backup quarterback Nick Foles, but given Carson Wentz‘s recent return, it would be incredibly risky for the Eagles to do this.
That said, Philadelphia has a unique championship window. Wentz is attached to his rookie deal through at least the end of this season. It’s possible the Eagles, whose 2019 cap sheet represents the NFL’s worst projected situation going into the next league year, could keep Wentz on this deal through 2019 — since he can be controlled on this contract through 2020 via the fifth-year option — but it should be expected for negotiations on a mammoth extension to commence in 2019.
Philly’s seen injuries consistently affect its running back corps. Jay Ajayi is playing with a back fracture, and both Darren Sproles and Corey Clement missed last week’s game. Sproles remains without a clear return timetable. Wendell Smallwood, who had to fight to make the Eagles’ roster as the No. 4 back, was Ajayi’s backup on Sunday.
The Eagles pulled off a major running back trade last year when they acquired Ajayi for a fourth-round pick. It would cost more to obtain Bell, however, although JLC considers a second-round pick an “ambitious” on the Steelers’ part. And Bell would surely be a rental commodity given Philly’s 2019 cap situation. Bell will voyage into a rare free agency situation next year, given his workload history and age, but can still be expected to land a deal in the vicinity of what Todd Gurley and David Johnson are making. The Eagles wouldn’t seem a candidate to authorize that contract, but for this season, it would make sense for the 2-2 team to add another weapon while this title window is open.
Pittsburgh’s 1-2-1 and could also obviously use Bell. It’s made preparations to fit Bell’s franchise tag price into its 2018 cap picture, having restructured several veterans’ contracts to clear space. But the Steelers and Bell waged contract battles for two offseasons, and multiple offensive linemen called out the running back for not reporting prior to Week 1.
Eagles have 2 2nd round picks next draft. One of those would get it done. Unless they wanna go .500 the rest of the season.
I’m with ya on that.
If theyre not contenders to signing him then what is the point in trading for him. If he’s not playing for the Steelers why would he want to play for us without the security in guaranteed money he’s been fighting for
Agreed. Too much of a cap hit for one position
Don’t do it! Not worth a 2nd for a short term rental to have to bring in and get up to speed with the playbook etc.
Definitely not worth a 2nd. Do it for a 3rd though
Worth a second if the Steelers take Foles.
Pittsburgh gets a third round pick if they keep him around until the end of the season. Philadelphia’s 3rd would be a low-3rd. They need to hold to their guns for a second round pick.
Bell comes back, put him on the kick teams.
Agreed.
Time value of money here.. by trading bell away today, they’d get a 2019 3rd round pick. If they hold his contract until the offseason, they’d likely receive a 2020 3rd round pick (if they don’t sign more free agents from other teams than they lose of their own in the 2019 offseason).
The 3rd they’d receive from the eagles in this scenario (2019) would be worth a 2nd in 2020.
“Although the Steelers would be eligible for compensatory draft pick compensation, Bell’s departure would put their net free agency gains and losses at zero, given that they signed safety Morgan Burnett and linebacker Jon Bostic and lost tackle Chris Hubbard. Per a source with extensive knowledge of the compensatory draft pick formula, the next gains and losses of zero would keep the Steelers from getting any compensatory draft picks.”
They get nothing if bell leaves so to get comped they would have to trade him
If Bell returns this season and plays he’ll get hurt. I wouldn’t touch him.
‘Hurt’ like Harrison suggested, at least
Everything I read is saying because of the compensation pick the Steelers are expecting to get a 3rd round pick for Bell.
Now my question is if the Steelers trade Bell is the acquiring team now eligible for that compensation pick ?
If so it’s a no brained Philly should give up 1 of those 2nd rounders because they don’t want Green Bay getting him.
It would essentially be Bell & a 3rd for a 2nd and hurting GB from getting a guy they could really use.
And if that is the case and the compensation pick comes along with it & Philly is willing to do that then would GB be willing to trade one of their 1st for Bell & a 3rd ?
Gotta give something to get something and everybody knows Bell will be playin like a beast to show the rest of the league he deserves the money he is demanding.
All depends on that compensation pick and if the squiring team is able to get that.
Green Bay isn’t trading for Bell
If you’re the Steelers, asking for a second helps but admits your punting this season as this team needs immediate help to do anything this year.
If the Eagles commit to a 2nd rounder they would almost have to have a handshake agreement on a contract extension. A third round for a rental is crazy yes. But is it real crazy if it’s Bell??? Nick Foles goes to some other team. Jason Peters retires. Brandon Graham is always talked about being traded. The cap space will be there. But is it worth a pick and shedding all that cap space? I’d say bring him in for the season and find out.
SMH, too many fantasy football GMs here…
No. I’m an actual GM. I just throw out my wild theories and see how the public takes it.
This is a football rumor/transaction page, would you prefer if people just posted cookie recipes in these comment sections instead?
I generally don’t like fruit in my cookies. I also can’t stand fruit in my chocolate. But I digress…
Same, It’s completely unnecessary. Any self respecting Baker should stay away from it
Nuts too. Hate nuts in cookies.
Wrong again, he absolutely loves nuts.
Discussion on the rumors is normal, the Easy Boy recliner GMs putting values on part time rentals and thinking its true market value is comical.
No team is going to trade for Bell without something in writing that he will be more than a half season rental. This isn’t the CFL.
Philly fans would go ape if the Release – Trade Foles
Once Wentz is free of his rookie contract the Eagles have to part with one of their QBs because they won’t be able to afford both. They will be in the same situation the Patriots were in when they had to deal away Jimmy G.
Foles was rewarded with a new deal which will lead to him being paid this year and his salary jumping so high for next year he will undoubtedly be gone.