Thoughts On The Rumored Byron Maxwell/Kiko Alonso Trade

On Monday afternoon, various outlets have reported that a trade between the Philadelphia Eagles and Miami Dolphins in imminent, and will send cornerback Byron Maxwell and Kiko Alonso to Miami for draft pick compensation.

Here’s my take on the potential trade, s well as some other bits of Eagles news that have been trickling out over the day.

On The Maxwell/Alonso Trade

The idea of moving Maxwell and Alonso would have numerous impacts on the Eagles, and I think the team would ultimately benefit from getting rid of both guys.

Getting out of Maxwell’s contract is a major victory for the Birds.

I don’t consider Maxwell to be a bust of Nnamdi-proportions as many do, but clearly he’s not the elite, shutdown corner that he’s being paid to be. I love the idea of the Eagles dumping off Maxwell’s salary, and then turning around and re-signing Nolan Carroll.

Carroll was easily the better of the two starting corners last year, and I think he’d be a much better (and cheaper) option than Maxwell, if the team could infact work it out.

Maybe the money freed up from Maxwell would also give the Eagles the flexibility they need to work out a new deal with safety Walter Thurmond as well.

I also don’t have any problem giving up Kiko Alonso in the deal. While Alonso still might have the potential to recapture what he was in his rookie year, the simple fact of the matter is that he’s been hurt too many times throughout his career. And even if he was healthy, I don’t think he has the size he needs to survive in this league anyway. Dealing him while he has any value at all is probably a wise decision, and with Jordan Hicks set to man the MIKE position, Kiko didn’t have a future in Philadelphia beyond 2016 anyway.

What Will The Draft Pick Compensation Be?

While its clear that Maxwell and Alonso will be heading to Miami, its unclear what the Eagles will be getting in return.

Many speculate that the team will most likely receive some mid to late round compensation, which would be the norm in the NFL when it comes trading high-priced veterans, but I think there’s a possibility that something a little more dramatic could take place.

I think its possible the Eagles could swap first-round picks with Miami, moving them up to the eighth position in the draft. This would give the Birds access to some better talent with their top pick, or if they wanted to flip the pick again and trade down, the eighth position would bring them more value than 13.

An AFC Team Wants DeMarco Murray?

A source told my colleague over at Eagledelphia.com, Tim Kelly that at least one AFC team is interested in trading for running back DeMarco Murray.

Another report has suggested that a Murray deal is in the works, and that the Eagles will simply receive late-round compensation.

If Howie Roseman were to find a way to rid the Eagles of two of their worst contracts in both Byron Maxwell and DeMarco Murray, it’d be an absolutely stunning achievement.

Follow Denny Basens on Twitter, @DennyBasens