NFL Trade Rumors: Eagles open to trading Jordan Matthews

The Philadelphia Eagles are open to trading Jordan Matthews, according to a report from NFL insider Charles Robinson. This report from Robinson is one of many NFL free agency tweets he fired off on Sunday evening. He also notes the Eagles are open to dealing backup quarterback Chase Daniel, which we already heard last week.

The Matthews news is certainly new, though. And honestly, it’s not all that surprising when you really think about it.

Matthews is set to be an unrestricted free agent after the 2017 season. There’s been no indication the Eagles have tried to extend his contract this offseason. If the Eagles don’t believe in him as a long-term piece, they might want to get something in return for him while they can.

There’s no question Matthews is the best receiver the Eagles currently have, but that isn’t exactly saying much. Philadelphia’s receiving corps is easily one of the worst in the NFL.

There’s also an argument that Matthews’ statistics are inflated beyond his true value. The 24-year-old benefited from playing in Chip Kelly’s high-volume offense. He’s posted some significant late game garbage time numbers in recent seasons. Drops have been a big issue for Matthews in the NFL just like they were for him in college. His inability to play the outside is also a negative.

With all that said, the Eagles shouldn’t be looking to dump Matthews for the sake of it. He has value to the team. Ideally, the Eagles should wait to see how Matthews performs in his contract year before deciding whether to extend him or move on.

Matthews has 225 receptions for 2,673 yards and 19 touchdowns with the Eagles since being selected in the second round of the 2014 NFL Draft. He’ll likely be Philadelphia’s starting slot receiver in 2017 unless the Eagles get a good offer. Beyond this season, though, who knows for sure what his future holds.

Related reading: Jordan Matthews Film Study: The Good, The Bad & The Ugly