The Philadelphia Eagles have been rumored to be plotting a big move come draft day to put themselves in position to draft Heisman winning quarterback Marcus Mariota, who previously played for Eagles coach Chip Kelly when he was still coaching the Ducks.
Some NFL sources believe that star running back LeSean McCoy might become an essential part of Mariota's reunion with Kelly.
"It's going to take a lot to get up and get (Mariota),'' said a source from another NFL team. "(Kelly) thinks McCoy can help get him to the top (of the draft). Either that, or he'll trade him somewhere else for picks and then use those picks (to trade up in the draft). He's not going to cut him. He's not doing that again.''
McCoy has had back-to-back seasons of more than 1,000 yards rushing under Chip Kelly, and averaged 19.5 carries and 1.5 targets per game in those two years. McCoy has been the focal point of Kelly's offense, and would figure to benefit even more with a prototypical quarterback for Kelly's fast-paced system.
On the flip side, running backs have become the most replaceable players in the NFL, and McCoy's stature and age are such that he could fetch a good haul of draft picks to be flipped to move up, or perhaps even be used straight up to improve their pick.
Howie Roseman, the Eagles' executive vice president of football operations, made recent comments to ESPN's Rich Cimini that toss all the trade speculation into doubt.
"The history of trading up for one player, when you look at those trades, isn't good for the team trading up and putting a lot of resources into it. The guys who are really good at drafting, if you're hitting on 60 percent of your first-round picks, that's a pretty good track record and it's dropping as you go through the rounds. So, really, the more chances you get -- the more tickets to the lottery you get -- really, the better shape you're going to be."
Complicating matters further, the Eagles do have a competent passer on the team already in Nick Foles. While he struggled at points last season before getting hurt, he was lights out as the starter in 2013 throwing 27 touchdowns and only two interceptions.
[NJ.com]
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