No trades, but plenty of talk at the deadline
PHILADELPHIA >> The NFL trade deadline came and went Tuesday without the Eagles making a blockbuster deal.
Judging by the rumors, however, the Eagles’ cornerbacks should be thinking about their futures.
The Birds’ brass reportedly pitched the Denver Broncos for 30-year-old Pro Bowler Chris Harris, who has a mouth like Orlando Scandrick and becomes a free agent after this season, and the Detroit Lions for Darius Slay, who would have been a coup. The price for Slay, under contract in 2020, supposedly was two first-round draft picks. He didn’t change teams.
The Eagles weren’t in the ballpark in their pursuit of Jalen Ramsey, the premier cornerback available, earlier in free agency. Sending multiple first-round draft picks and change for a guy who’s been extremely difficult and you might have to franchise, as the Los Angeles Rams did, isn’t the worst thing in the world.
At this point the Eagles have no choice but to roll with Jalen Mills, Ronald Darby and Rasul Douglas as their top three corners. At the nickel, Avonte Maddox (neck) is slated to return to practice this week and Cre’Von LeBlanc (foot) could be ready before long.
Sometimes the best trades are the ones you don’t make. With the Eagles dedicating a chunk of their salary cap to accommodate Carson Wentz, keeping and properly utilizing as many picks as possible is essential because rookie contracts are economical.
*** The Eagles (4-4) are five-point favorites over the Chicago Bears (3-4) this Sunday at Lincoln Financial Field.
The Eagles hung on for a 16-15 win over the Bears when kicker Cody Parkey hit the pipes and bricked a 43-yard field with 10 seconds left in the wild card round of the playoffs.
The gaffe became known as the doubledoink.
The Bears are on a three-game losing streak, the latest a 17-16 decision at the hands of the Los Angeles Chargers, also at Soldier Field. Eddy Pineiro missed a 41-yard field goal as time expired, much to the chagrin of Bears fans.
Head coach Matt Nagy is under fire for taking a knee instead of advancing the ball with 22 seconds and two timeouts left. Pineiro’s kick was on second down.
Nagy refused to secondguess himself, saying there was a chance the Bears could lose yardage or fumble. The Bears rushed for 162 yards in the game.
*** NOTES >> Defensive coordinator Jim Schwartz views Genard Avery (6-0, 250), acquired from the Cleveland Browns Monday for an undisclosed lateround pick, as a defensive end cut from the mold of Brandon Graham. “He was a productive sacker,” Schwartz said Tuesday. “He wasn’t playing very much this year so it’s hard to say. And they changed schemes. So, a lot of times that happens when you have guys that are sort of successful in one scheme, there’s a coaching change, they maybe fit one scheme better than another. But we’re excited to have him and he’s done some good things pass rushing and we’ll try to get him up to speed as quick as we can on stuff like that.”