NFL Philadelphia Eagles

Philadelphia Eagles Will Flip Kiko Alonso In Package For Marcus Mariota

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By @papreps

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Timothy T. Ludwig-USA TODAY Sports

By now, everyone knows Chip Kelly is in love with Oregon players.

The Philadelphia Eagles‘ head coach was at Oregon and put six Oregon players on his roster last year. Now, he has traded arguably the best running back in the NFL for former Duck linebacker Kiko Alonso, and there is a conspiracy theory involving another Duck player floating around the city that will turn some heads.

Kelly acquired Alonso from the Buffalo Bills for LeSean McCoy only to flip him and the No. 20 pick to the Tampa Bay Buccaneers for the No. 1 overall pick in the draft. Everyone knows the guy Kelly loves as a son is Heisman Trophy winner Marcus Mariota, and his spread option offense is only wed to a talent like Mariota; this scenario is too delicious to ignore.

Tampa Bay needs linebacker help, and Alonso is arguably the best young linebacker in the league. Consider this: Alonso and Ray Lewis are the only two players since 2001 with at least 150 tackles, four interceptions and two fumble recoveries in a season. Dangle Alonzo to the Bucs with the No. 20 overall pick that the Eagles currently have, and that might be enough to bring back the No. 1 overall pick. McCoy and No. 2o would never have worked because McCoy was due $11.5 million in salary cap money, and Alfonso, 24, is a much better value. To the Bucs, that would be like acquiring two young No. 1-level talents for Mariota.

It’s not as crazy as it sounds. The Eagles, no doubt, will miss McCoy, but he has a lot of tread on those tires. An NFL running back, according to studies, lasts only 4.5 years and McCoy, by those standards, at least needs a new engine. If the Eagles can sign a guy like Baltimore Ravens free agent Bernard Pierce, they can get by with Pierce and, say, Chris Polk, as a backup and lose less production than some fans might think. Pierce is a Philadelphia hometown hero from Temple and a Super Bowl winner who would be welcomed with open arms.

Pierce, unlike McCoy, does not dance around before hitting the hole, and that part of the McCoy’s game was particularly disturbing to Kelly. Pierce getting the ball off a pitch from Mariota could be a lot more dangerous than McCoy was in this offense.

Nobody will know until draft day what this McCoy trade really means to the Eagles, but if it is all a part of a fishing trip to lure in a big catch like Mariota, it could be worth it.

Mike Gibson is a writer for www.RantSports.com. Follow him on Twitter @papreps , “Like” him on Facebook or add him to your network on Google.

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