Following a breakout season by quarterback Jalen Hurts, the Philadelphia Eagles made it all the way to Super Bowl LVII. Unfortunately for the Birds, they were not a match for MVP Patrick Mahomes and the Kansas City Chiefs, losing 38-35 on a last-minute field goal.
To make matters worse, Philadelphia should look very different in 2023. The team ended up losing many key players in the 2023 offseason.
Safety C.J. Gardner-Johnson signed with the Detroit Lions after co-leading the league with six interceptions in his lone season with the Birds. Starting running back Miles Sanders is on his way to the Carolina Panthers. Notably, one of the top defenders in the 2023 free-agency class, Javon Hargrave signed a four-year deal with the San Francisco 49ers.
Because of that, the Eagles will need to find many replacements. One way they could address those needs is via trades. While Philadelphia suffered major setbacks with important players leaving, they still has some assets that could attract some suitors.
With that being said, here is one trade that the Philadelphia Eagles should complete during the 2023 offseason.
Philadelphia receives: 2023 fourth-round pick
Atlanta receives: WR Quez Watkins
There is no secret that the Eagles hit the jackpot by trading for A.J. Brown last offseason. The wide receiver had the best year of his career with 88 catches for 1,496 yards and 11 touchdowns.
Alongside Brown, DeVonta Smith made a big jump in his second year as a pro. The 2020 Heisman winner finished the season with a team-best 95 receptions for 1,196 yards and seven scores. All those numbers were better than what he had as a rookie.
While the duo had a dominant year, the Eagles had to limit Quez Watkins. Despite starting eight games, the WR3 had only 33 catches for 354 yards and three touchdowns. For comparison, he had worse numbers than Dallas Goedert, even though the tight end missed five games.
At the age of 24, Watkins could still develop as a reliable backup wideout. The problem is that since the Eagles made it to the Super Bowl this past season, they might be in a win-now mode, which means Watkins might not fit their timeline.
Because of that, the Birds might opt to trade him away. One team that emerges as a potential suitor for Watkins is the Atlanta Falcons.
As of now, the Falcons only have Drake London, Mack Hollins, Frank Darby and Jared Bernhardt. London had 72 catches as a rookie while Darby and Bernhardt combined for one reception in 2022. Hollins is a recent addition in free agency after he left the Tennessee Titans.
Watkins could be one of the main passing options for the Falcons. Additionally, since they are in a rebuilding process and the starting quarterback is still a big question, having a player with some experience could be useful.
As for the Eagles, they would clear some cap space by trading away Watkins. They would also get a fourth-round draft pick since the Falcons own two of them, which the Birds could certainly use. Other than its two first-round selections, Philadelphia has one pick in each of the second and third rounds. After that, the team would only make another selection in the seventh round.
This trade would allow the Eagles to bring in a rookie who could contribute with depth, especially with so many key defenders leaving in free agency. Also, if necessary, they could use this pick as an asset to move up in the draft. Either way, this move would give Philadelphia more flexibility while giving Quez Watkins a chance at a more impactful role elsewhere.
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