Trading for a running back? In this economy???

The value of a franchise running back has been decreasing for well over a decade by now. Players like Derrick Henry, Christian McCaffrey, and, oh to just pick a name out of a hat, Jonathan Taylor won’t ever get a contract that they feel is fair because NFL teams are happy to roll with a running back by committee approach until they find a young, cheap alternative.

Taylor, as you most likely know, recently requested a trade from the Indianapolis Colts due to the fact that Big Brain Genius Jim Irsay won’t pay Taylor what he’s worth. In her earlier post about Taylor, Alexis asked what you all thought about trading for Taylor and as of 8:39 p.m. ET on Wednesday night a whopping 66% (2,569 total votes) of you say “no.”

Insider for something called NFL Analysis Network, Evan Massey has a “source” that says the Eagles are “among the most aggressive” teams pursuing a trade with Indianapolis for Taylor. I don’t believe this rumor for a second and the next time Massey scoops the rest of the NFL beat for a juicy tidbit like this will be the first. His gambit of just posting things to rile people (read: me) up has worked though.

See, I am a life-long Eagles fan. I was born in Philadelphia and raised in the suburbs...but then I attended college at the University of Wisconsin and do you know who used to play running back there? Jonathan freaking Taylor! I have ALWAYS wanted a star Badger to end up being a star on the Eagles.

Sure, there have been a few. Troy Vincent was an excellent corner for many years, Beau Allen and Corey Clement won a Super Bowl, and T.J. Edwards was a tackling machine last year, but Taylor would take things to a whole new level. The Eagles having a star running back who went to UW? I would be in heaven!

Photo by Stacy Revere/Getty Images

Now look...I get it. Trading for Taylor doesn’t really make a whole lot of sense for the Eagles. Howie Roseman has historically deemphasized the tailback position and with the Colts, who have already publicly said they don’t value Taylor highly since they won’t pay him, seeking a first round pick in return (among other pieces) it just doesn’t appear likely that a deal could be worked out between Philly and Indy. Maybe, since everyone is just posting whatever made up stuff they want today, this trade rumor was what REALLY caused the brawl between the Eagles and Colts at their joint practice on Wednesday.

I guess the Birds could always draft Wisconsin’s current running back, Braelon Allen, in 2024. Right?