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Free agency is just about to enter full-swing status, and already the Philadelphia Eagles are being name dropped in rumors. Ian Rapoport is reporting that the Eagles and Miami Dolphins are in trade talks over cornerback Byron Maxwell, who is just one year into his six-year deal with the team. I’m hoping it’s just more Rapoport fluff on this one, because the Eagles really shouldn’t be trading Maxwell at all.
On the one hand, trading him would make some sense because his contract is pretty terrible, especially when you consider how sorely Maxwell failed to live up to it last year. With an $8.5 million base salary this year and $10 million next year, I can definitely see how the Eagles would want to move on from those numbers and get some cap space back.
But on the other hand, it’s not like the Eagles are so stocked at the position that they can afford to lose their de facto No. 1 corner. Maxwell is very much on the hook for his performance last year, but I’m also sort of putting some of that blame on Billy Davis too. Remember, this was the guy who left struggling rookie Eric Rowe on an island against Calvin Johnson when Rowe was getting himself taken to school. Maxwell needed to play better on his own, but I can’t say that Davis made his life any easier.
If the Eagles are that desperate for cap space, I don’t understand why they don’t at least try to restructure Maxwell’s deal. Maybe Maxwell refuses, and at that point it’s easier to justify trading him. But if he agrees, they can get some cap relief and also keep their top corner around at least for another year to bounce back. Otherwise, Rowe becomes the top pass defender and the Eagles either have to re-sign Nolan Carroll or go bonkers in cornerback free agent market.
Maybe Miami is preparing to blow the Eagles away with an offer that’s too good to be true. Maybe they’re just kicking the tires on the possibility and this winds up going nowhere. Whichever it is, I just hope the Eagles tread carefully on this one.
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