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NFL Trade Rumors: Why the Eagles WON'T make a deal before deadline day

The second in a three-part series regarding the Eagles and the NFL trade deadline.

Jeffrey G. Pittenger-USA TODAY Sports

With rumors running wild that several big names could be dealt during next week's trade deadline, the Phialdelphia Eagles may be in the mood to make a move. While the team is 5-1, there are some upgrades that could be worthwhile with a mid-season trade. Still, a deal seems significantly unlikely considering the team's continuity so far this season.

The Eagles have been very patient with their current roster. The team has only added four players since of the start of the season and all of those additions have been made because of injuries. Of those four players, Kevin Graf, Julian Vandervelde and Emmanuel Acho have been with the team since May. The fourth player, Wade Smith, lasted just five games in Philadelphia before he was cut to make room for a healthy Vandervelde during the bye week.

Chip Kelly is a big believer in keeping players familiar with the playbook on the roster. While that has drawn the ire of some fans, the familiarity has led to a 5-1 record so far this season. Fans will mock former Oregon players like Brandon Bair or Jeff Maehl and bottom-of-the-roster guys like Casey Matthews and James Casey, but all of those players have served important roles in games. Kelly believes in "his" guys and for the most part, they've proven him right.

Adding another starter or player that needs a lot of playing time may not be appealing to Kelly. The team went three months without making a move in the off-season, and only made that transaction (releasing Jason Phillips) because of a league-mandated cut deadline. The Eagles love to deal for talent, but at this point in the season, it may not be ideal given the culture that Kelly has set in place. (And remember, culture wins football.)

At 5-1, the team obviously still has issues, but it also has momentum. The Eagles are in a good spot to win the NFC East or at the very least, a playoff spot. Why mess with chemistry to add a player that doesn't know the playbook or may not fit with the team? The Eagles will have to decide if the juice is worth the squeeze at this point.

On Wednesday, we'll take a look at possible trade candidates on the Eagles roster. Check out Part 1: The reason why the Eagles WILL make a trade at the deadline.

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