The Nov. 1 NFL trade deadline is a week away, and the 49ers and Eagles are reportedly talking about a deal that would send wide receiver Torrey Smith to Philadelphia. It would presumably net some much-needed draft picks for San Francisco, but we still don’t have a handle on what kind of picks they’d want in the deal.
3 reasons for the Eagles and 49ers to make the Torrey Smith trade and 2 reasons not to
The Eagles and Niners are reportedly talking about a trade for the veteran receiver. The pros outweigh the cons.
Kelvin Kuo-USA TODAY Sports
Overall, it wouldn’t be a bad trade for either team to make, but there are some cons to weigh.
Let’s start with the reasons why they should make this deal.
The Eagles need better receivers. Jordan Matthews leads the team in receiving with 354 yards and two touchdowns. After that, it’s mostly just disappointment. Nelson Agholor, a first-round pick from the Chip Kelly era, continues to underwhelm. They took a flyer on Dorial Green-Beckham, but he’s got a long way to go. If the Eagles are going to keep pace with the Cowboys, they need help. There’s also a rumor that they’re interested in Bears receiver Alshon Jeffery.
Smith is only 27. He’s young and has plenty of years left to play, if he stays healthy. Plus, he’s a solid No. 2 receiver, a speedster that gives you a deep threat to get behind defenses.
The 49ers need draft picks. As many as they can get. Their roster is barren of talent, and the kind of pick they’d likely fetch for Smith — at least a second-rounder, I would think — could really help (assuming Trent Baalke doesn’t screw it up).
And the cons for the deal.
It’s kind of expensive. The Eagles have the cap space to absorb Smith’s $2.9 million cap hit this year, but that shoots up to $8 million each year from 2017-2019. Right now, the Eagles are over the projected cap for next year, so they’d have to do some work to fit Smith in or restructure his deal (or someone else’s). It leaves the 49ers with dead cap space, more than $4.5 million in each of the next two years, but they have the room to take the hit.
The 49ers don’t have anyone else. San Francisco has already pushed back on the rumors, which is standard operating procedure. You don’t want to completely piss off a player if you’re stuck with him when the trade falls through. And it’s not like there’s much talent on the roster among the skill positions. If they win the Deshaun Watson sweepstakes, it’d be nice for him to have someone to throw to.
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