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It sure seems like the Philadelphia Eagles have interest in trading for a cornerback prior to the 2019 NFL trade deadline at 4:00 PM on Tuesday, October 29.
The Eagles reportedly tried to trade for Jalen Ramsey but got outbid by the Los Angeles Rams.
The Eagles also reportedly made an offer for Patrick Peterson but the Arizona Cardinals turned it down.
Who, then, might be available at a price the Eagles are willing to afford?
Enter: Denver Broncos starting cornerback Chris Harris Jr.
The following was written by former Eagles linebacker Garry Cobb:
I guarantee you that the Eagles are going to trade for Denver Broncos cornerback (slot corner) Chris Harris before the NFL trade deadline. I don’t know the details of the trade, but it’s going to occur.
Cobb doesn’t cite any sources in his blog post but the language used is certainly definitive!
CHJ does make some sense as a realistic trade target.
The Broncos should be willing to move on from him since: 1) they’re 2-5 and last in the AFC West and 2) Harris is on the last year of his contract and turns 31 in June.
The Eagles should be willing to trade for CHJ because, well, they desperately need help at corner. Harris should be relatively affordable since he’s 30 and he’ll be a free agent after this season.
The case for trading for Harris is that he’s an experienced player with a proven track record who’s still playing good football. CHJ ranks 19th out of 116 cornerbacks graded by Pro Football Focus this season. He has the versatility to both play out wide — where he’s taken the majority of his snaps this season — and in the slot. The Eagles defense should be improved with Harris on it. And if they don’t want to re-sign him after this season, they can potentially recoup a 2021 compensatory pick for losing him in free agency.
The case against trading for Harris is that spending a draft pick on an aging rental isn’t the smartest idea. See: last year’s Golden Tate trade. CHJ might take some time to adjust to the Eagles’ defense. And even if he does fit in right away, it’s fair to wonder if his impact will justify the cost.
We’ll soon see if Cobb’s guarantee comes to fruition.