Getty The Philadelphia Eagles could be a reasonable landing spot for Carolina Panthers running back Christian McCaffrey, according to Heavy NFL insider Matt Lombardo.
The Philadelphia Eagles are a team without much needs, even if they do have some annoying injuries on the offensive line. But there’s a reason they’re 5-0, so pending bad injury news, if GM Howie Roseman goes shopping on business deadline, he’ll be looking for luxury additions, not filling big holes.
NFL expert Matt Lombardo has a name in mind that would surely qualify as a luxury addition: Panthers running back Christian McCaffrey. Lombardo writes that the two-time All-Pro is “wasting his time in Carolina” as the Panthers are 1-4 while McCaffrey has 512 scrimmage yards and three touchdowns in the season.
Lombardo adds that even if the Panthers enlist a franchise quarterback in 2023, “26-year-old McCaffrey may be nearing the end of his prime before a novice quarterback is able to turn the tide of the franchise.”
Lombardo believes the list of potential business partners could include the San Francisco 49ers, the Seattle Seahawks, the Buffalo Bills or the Philadelphia Eagles. At first glance, it looks like the Eagles would have a hard time deciding who to keep off the pitch if they added McCaffrey, but maybe there’s some reason to think about it.
The Eagles case for Christian McCaffrey’s change
Although Miles Sanders is not a superstar, he is third in the league in running yards behind only Nick Chubb and Saquon Barkley, and ninth in running yards among those with at least 60 running attempts. Sanders averages 4.8 yards per attempt, while McCaffrey is only 4.7 yards per transport. So what does he give?
Well, first of all, Sanders was never an elite step to bounce back. McCaffrey is, having passed 100 receptions in two seasons. His career average of 8.4 yards on reception is more than double what Sanders is amassing this season with 4.1 yards on reception. In fact, Sanders’ receiving numbers have gotten worse each season throughout his career.
Meanwhile, Boston Scott and Kenneth Gainwell were notably absent from the Eagles’ passing game. Gainwell only has four catches for 21 yards, while Scott has one catch for two yards.
In fact, the Eagles’ second and third defender also didn’t make it this year. Gainwell has 18 carries for 72 yards and two touchdowns, while Scott has 10 attempts for 29 yards and a touchdown.
Sanders is also on track for 296 carries this year. His career record is 179. For some reason, the Eagles coaching staff have not felt as comfortable rotating other running backs as they have in the past.
Sanders has had injury issues in previous years, and although McCaffrey has also had, they would at least serve as insurance policies for each other. The odds of both going down are much lower than the odds of the Eagles losing Sanders as the only feature on the list.
The Eagles average 23.4 points per game for their running backs. McCaffrey averaged 13.5 runs in his career, while Sanders averaged 12.6. So the Eagles wouldn’t have had to spin the ball much farther to accommodate the usual workload of both running backs.
The sticking point of a potential McCaffrey swap with Philadelphia
The asking price is what seems most likely to make Roseman hesitate, as Lombardo points out that the Eagles’ two first-round draft picks could make them willing to trade.
Still, it’s hard to imagine Roseman giving up even a late first-round pick for a $ 19.55 million salary cap in 2023, according to Spotrac. In March, the Panthers’ asking price was a first-round pick and a player with a pay cap contract, according to ESPN’s David Newton.
The Eagles can make phones work, but unless the price goes down, it’s hard to imagine McCaffrey ending up in midnight green.
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