Will Eagles consider deal with LA Rams after G Brooks injury?

LA Rams young offensive linemen surplus could attract Eagles trade interest after G Brooks injury

The LA Rams are sitting on too many young talented offensive linemen on the roster right now. While many fans balk at the concept of cashing in now, the reality is that the Rams will carry eight of the 15 offensive linemen into the 2020 NFL season.  That’s the harsh cold reality.  All NFL teams must downsize from 90 man training camp rosters into the 55-man roster for the 2020 NFL season.  That means 35 players will be cut, like it or not.

While one or two players may find themselves added to the Rams’ practice squad, the team will lose the services of five or more offensive linemen by the team this season begins. Losing their services with no compensation, no future value. Poof! Gone! And the players who will be cut cannot avoid including players who earned starting minutes with the team in 2019.  Players like Brian Allen, or Joseph Noteboom, might fetch a decent enough draft pick from a team in need of offensive line help now.

Sell high, buy low

So it makes a great deal of sense for the Rams to convert the experience earned by the turnstile way they plugged holes in the 2019 offensive line into future draft picks. In fact, we had discussed five potential NFL teams that might be in the trade market to bolster their offensive line depth in light of the virtual training camp employed by all 32 NFL teams this season. As we cited each team in a possible trade scenario, we had to presume that each team was feeling the pressure of winning this year, and was compelled to make a deal to ensure that the team would win this year.

Today, the Philadelphia Eagles received horrific news about their Pro-Bowl right guard Brandon Brooks, who suffered an Achilles Heel injury and will be out for the entire season. Now the Eagles must scramble to replace him unexpectedly,

The LA Rams could offer either IOL Austin Blythe or Joseph Noteboom, both of whom have NFL experience at the guard position.

Austin Blythe or Joseph Noteboom

While the Philadelphia Eagles fans begin to absorb the reality that their 2020 starting right guard is Matt Pryor, a phone call to the LA Rams could change that rather quickly.  How desperate are the Philadelphia Eagles to reinforce their right guard position? That could dictate the player and the terms of a trade with the LA Rams.  You see, the Rams have two players who could be pried away for the right price.  What is the right price? It depends on the player that commands the most interest from Philadelphia: either Austin Blythe or Joseph Noteboom.

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In Noteboom, the Eagles get a promising young talented player who took some lumps in 2019, but who will be all the more prepared and better in 2020.  The Eagles may be confident enough in Pryor to carry the load for 2020, but will definitely need added depth as they really only have Jack Driscol;l to back up both guard positions as well as the right tackle.  Adding Noteboom places an extremely versatile player onto their roster who can back up both tackle and guard positions.

Austin Blythe trade scenario

However, should the Eagles want an outright plug-and-play right guard, they could up the offer and target LA Rams right guard Austin Blythe. Let’s assume Philadelphia targets Blythe, what might that look like?

Of course, the Rams could add a conditional 2021 or 2022 pick if Blythe fails to start 50 percent of the 2020 games for the Eagles to satisfy any hesitation.  But this trade package should get it done.  Keep in mind that Blythe is just one year removed from appearing in the Super Bowl as the Rams’ starting right guard.

Yes, the Rams will take a risk by parting ways with an offensive lineman before the season begins. But that risk generates a draft pick, perhaps one as valuable as round three. The Rams have found a new right guard in David Edwards, and the center competition will remain just as fierce with Coleman Shelton, Cohl Cabral, and Brian Allen competing for the starting role. The LA Rams brought back Blythe on a one-year deal as an insurance policy.  It would be a good opportunity to cash that in for a 2021 draft pick.