Being aggressive when it comes to trading is not a common occurrence for the Philadelphia Eagles general manager, Howie Roseman. Since re-emerging as the general manager in 2016, he made a total of 54 trades throughout the previous seven seasons, never having less than five trades in a season. 

With a plethora of departures and question marks in a few key positions, don’t be surprised if Howie Roseman makes a trade during training camp or the preseason to fill some more gaps. Whether it is from the players themselves, or leaked rumors to the press, here are three players that are linked to being traded to the Eagles.

Three Trade Targets for the Philadelphia Eagles

#1 Hunter Renfrow

Raiders WR Hunter Renfrow (13) – Steven Senne/AP Photo

Despite the top two guys having a career year and one of the best receiving seasons in Eagles history, many within the fanbase feel like a receiver is still a pressing need for this top 10 offense. Current starting slot receiver Quez Watkins had somewhat of a down year, being the main scapegoat for all three losses in the regular season.

In week 9 against the Commanders, Quez Watkins fumbled the ball after catching a deep throw from Jalen Hurts with a little over five minutes left in the game, trailing by five. A few games later, he was the target for both of Gardner Minshew’s Interceptions and the fanbase was split between who fault it was. And more recently, Quez Watkins dropped another deep pass from Jalen Hurts in the Superbowl that could’ve set them up for a touchdown instead of settling for the field goal in the middle of the third quarter up by three.

Hunter Renfrow’s production and price tag are the biggest things to consider if the Eagles were in talks of trading for the receiver. Not only will he have the biggest cap hit for any Eagles receiver for the year of 2023(13 million) per Sportrac, but he is also coming off his worst year statistically, only having 330 yards and one touchdown throughout ten games.

However, if you take into account how both teams run their offense, it’s not a stretch to say that Hunter Renfrow could have a bounce-back year playing for the Eagles.

Hunter Renfrow’s 2021 campaign is a perfect example of what the 27-year-old can do in a consistent passing system. He amassed 1038 yards on 103 receptions and nine touchdowns on a team that was filled with off-field controversies. If he were to be traded to the Eagles and given the slot position, it could provide Jalen Hurts with a reliable option if Smith or Brown are getting too much attention.

#2 Budda Baker

Cardinals Safety Budda Baker

Cardinals S Budda Baker – Christian Petersen/Getty Images

Both starting safeties Marcus Epps and CJ Gardner Johnson have signed with other teams, leaving a large void in the Eagles’ secondary that had to be filled through free agency and the draft. The safeties they have right now, Reed Blankenship and Terrel Edmunds, have received admiration from the Eagles coaching staff in OTA, but with both defensive backs being young and unproven, Budda Baker can provide both experience, leadership and talent that was lost in free agency.

Like Hunter Renfrow, Budda Baker has a big price tag on him, with a 16 million dollar cap hit for the year  2023. Not only that but he’s also seen as a key defensive starter for the Cardinals. If the Eagles were to make any more trades this season, the price for Budda Baker will most likely be the most expensive.

Adding a player of his caliber is worth it. In six years with the Cardinals, Baker made five pro bowls, two first-team all-pro, and two second-team all-pro, and was the only Cardinal to make the pro bowl last year, solidifying the argument that he was the best player on their team.

#3 Devin White

The Philadelphia Eagles could target Buccaneers LB Devin White

Buccaneers LB Devin White – Gary McCullough/Associated Press

Howie Roseman makes it very clear which position he prioritizes every year through the draft and free agency, and the Linebacker hasn’t been this high in a while. Last year the Eagles had a talented duo in T.J. Edwards and Kyzir White, but they both left in free agency. As of right now, the third-round pick from 2022, Nakobe Dean, and former Bear Nicholas Marrow are projected to be the starters.

With the increasing importance that Howie has put in the inside Linebacker position and with both linebackers leaving this year, many, including myself, expect the Eagles to pounce on the Devin White situation, who requested a trade earlier this year.

Devin White is looking for a big payday and is looking for it on another team. According to Sportrac, Devin White’s approximate value is a little over 20 million dollars, which is more than Roquan Smith’s contract, who is currently the highest-paid inside linebacker. Budda Baker might cost more in trade value, but Devin White’s contract will most likely be more expensive.

Devin White is a tackling machine with over 100 tackles in the last three of his four seasons. He also earned second-team All-Pro in his second year starting and a pro bowl nod in his third year starting. However, White’s production dipped as of 2023; PFF gave him a 42.6 overall grade, which was the fifth-worst among linebackers.

 Conclusion.

Howie Roseman isn’t known for being complacent. Especially with the off-season losses and the restructures of veterans’ contracts he made a few months prior, regardless if he targets the three players I mentioned or not, I, along with most of the fanbase, expect him to sign or trade for someone who could contribute to defending the NFC title.