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As we get closer to the NFL Draft, there has been quite a bit of talk about the Philadelphia Eagles trading up into the Top 5 in order to pick quarterback Marcus Mariota. One of the most recent rumors involved the Eagles trading up to the No. 4 overall pick and including veteran running back LeSean McCoy in the deal, who it seems the Eagles are ready to part with.
Mike Dempsey of Jaguars Today on 1010XL also floated this idea out one day last week on his show (I didn't hear it), but saw people discussing it on Friday and it got me thinking. Would you make the trade with the Eagles that netted you two first round picks, a second round pick and LeSean McCoy?
I think I would.
Eagles Get
Jaguars No. 3 overall pick
Jaguars Get
Eagles No. 20 overall pick, Eagles No. 52 overall pick, Eagles 2016 1st round draft pick, running back LeSean McCoy
@AlfieBCC I think they’d do it.
— Brandon Lee Gowton (@BrandonGowton) February 27, 2015
I honestly think I would take that deal without much hesitation. Falling from No. 3 overall to No. 20 is a big fall, but in all honesty if Leonard Williams is gone before the third overall pick, to me a lot of these edge rush guys are all kind of mashed together and they all have their own flaws. Sure, there will be a run on them and likely three or more will be picked by the time No. 20 rolls around, but it's still likely one of those guys are still there.
If they're not, there's a few other directions you could go at No. 20 that would make a lot of sense and with the two second round picks you have, in a deep edge rusher class, you can either double up or move back up to get one. I'm also of the belief that the Jaguars are "OK" at the running back position, but if you can take on a talent like McCoy in a deal like this, I think it's a great opportunity.
McCoy has an $11.9 million cap hit in 2015, but that's something the Jaguars can easily absorb and his cap hits decline over the next two seasons, as he's signed through the 2017 season. At just 26 years old, McCoy still has plenty of time ahead of him before hitting the worrisome age of a running back. He's had a few injury issues in the past, but nothing major, and he's been ultra-productive his whole NFL career both on the ground and catching the football.
Again, this is all speculation, but with the SB Nation's Eagles blog writer thinking the Eagles would pull the trigger on that deal, it really makes you think.
Stay woke.