2 best trades the Eagles must make before the 2024 NFL Trade Deadline

As the Philadelphia Eagles gear up for their first game back from the bye, fans already have another date marked on their calendar: November 5th.

That’s right, while there have been some good moments, some bad moments, and some ugly moments too for the Eagles in September, it’s hard to argue that their current team is good enough to win the Super Bowl, let alone the premier roster in the NFL East. Fortunately, what better way to remedy that situation than for Howie Roseman to do what he does best and make a trade?

Sure, his track record hasn’t been perfect, as for every Jay Ajayi, there’s a Golden Tate, Robert Quinn, or a Kevin Byard, but that doesn’t mean the Eagles shouldn’t keep swinging for the fences, as, to borrow an adage from baseball, if you hit .300 over a long career, you end up in the Hall of Fame.

Fortunately, there are a few options interesting options theoretically on the trade market that could benefit the Eagles both as buyers and sellers, including flipping a long-time starter on the decline in favor of playing some new blood and an upgrade at the wide receiver spot where a previous addition hasn’t been up to snuff.

1. Darious Slay to the Baltimore Ravens for a Day 3 pick

After almost being traded to the Baltimore Ravens during the offseason, even if it’s anyone’s guess how close the deal came, the Eagles should get the deal done this fall and ship “Big Play” Darius Slay to the Charm City.

But why? Well, two seasons, really.

First and foremost, Slay has not played particularly well for the Eagles in 2024.

In four games of action, Slay has been targeted 21 times and allowed 14 receptions for 129 yards and two touchdowns. Sure, he has 16 tackles, forced a fumble, and has defensed two passes through the air, but he’s allowing a career-high passer rating of 115 when targeted and gave up the pivotal touchdown in Week 2. Maybe this is a small sample size; maybe Slay will turn it around down the stretch, and maybe he’ll be a Pro Bowler for the fourth straight season. But what if he isn’t? What if Slay has lost a step and at 33, is starting to diminish?

For a team like the Ravens, who really want to make it to the Super Bowl and have the second-worst passing defense in the NFL, Slay might have more value than he does to the Eagles in October of 2024, especially considering their depth chart.

That’s right, for the first time in what, 20 years, the Eagles have not one, not two, but four interesting young cornerbacks, with Keele Ringo, Isaiah Rodgers, and Cooper DeJean all looking to take on bigger roles opposite rookie starter Quinyon Mitchell. Even if Slay is the Eagle’s top cornerback now, what are the chances Ringo or Rodgers couldn’t finish out the year with a better rating – not to mention a grander long-term future – if they play 600-700 defensive snaps over the next 11 games?

If the Ravens will take on Slay’s salary and are willing to give up a Day 3 pick, be it a fourth or a complex future selection based on playing time, why not send him to the next state over in the pursuit of a Super Bowl, especially if it helps the Eagles flesh out their depth long-term? While Slay is a fan favorite and one of the Eagles’ best players over the last few years, his career is rapidly coming to an end; better to sell early while he still has value than have another James Bradberry situation.

2. Jahan Dotson to the Carolina Panthers for Dionte Johnson 

When the Eagles decided to trade for Jahan Dotson to fill their WR3 role heading into the 2024 NFL season, it was near-universally celebrated by fans, pundits, and experts alike.

Suddenly, the Eagles had assembled the best wide receiver trio in the NFL and would be able to attack defenses all over the field, especially with Dallas Goedert and Saquon Barkley filling out the starting five.

… yeah, that hasn’t happened at all.

Taking the field first in Week 1 in limited action before becoming a starter from Week 2 on, Dotson has been quite possibly the biggest disappointment of the Eagles’ 2024 NFL season. He’s only caught five of the nine balls thrown his way for 25 yards and has a season-long of seven yards.

Seven.

Dotson had done nothing as a WR3, did barely more as a WR1, and has left fans wondering how he recorded 1,066 over two years in Washington when he consistently looked like the worst player on the offensive side of the ball.

Will the Eagles ever be able to get back what they traded to acquire Dotson? No, probably not, but as a third-year pro with at least one year left on his contract, he does have some value, especially for a team like the Carolina Panthers, who simply don’t project to be very good any time soon. Considering their developmental trajectory, could the Panthers be interested in a player like Dotson, especially at the price of an expiring contract like Diontae Johnson?

Now, sure, the Panthers have let it be known that they have no interest in trading Johnson, but that was coming off of a hot game by Andy Dalton against the Las Vegas Raiders. If Johnson let it be known that he has no interest in re-signing and Adam Schefter is correct that his name could come up in trade conversations, netting a player like Dotson might just entice the Panthers to make a move.

Currently, in his sixth professional season, Johnson played well enough for the Steelers to earn a new contract that pays him $10 million in 2024 but not well enough to be a part of their long-term plans, as he was traded to the Panthers for Donte Jackson and the 178th pick in the 2024 NFL draft. As a member of the Panthers, Johnson has done the best he can with the circumstances, leading the team in receiving yards at 262, but it’s worth wondering how high his ceiling can be catching passes from Dalton and Bryce Young.

Even if Johnson is nothing more than a one-year rental and they once again have to attack the WR3 spot in the 2025 NFL draft with a pick before the fifth round, upgrading Dotson’s spot with a legit NFL player like the pride of Toledo could be just what the doctor ordered to supercharge Hurts’ offense.