According to NFL’s Ian Rapoport, left tackle Andre Dillard is getting interest from other teams as a possible trade target as the Nov. 2 deadline comes closer:
“He [Dillard] was drafted to be the left tackle of the future, but it hasn’t quite worked out like that. Instead, that title has gone to seventh-round find Jordan Mailata. Dillard hasn’t been in the starting lineup, and recently, he has been taking reps at guard in practice. So, teams have been calling with trade interest. He did impress while playing left tackle against the Panthers, and that improved his stock. The Eagles won’t give him away, and there are scenarios where he’s a part of their future, anyway. But teams believe a quality second-day pick would be enough to pry Dillard away.”
Is Dillard Really Apart Of The Team’s Future?
There’s a lot to take away from Rapoport’s report. One of the more interesting notes is that the Eagles won’t give him away, and that there are even some scenarios where he’s part of the team’s future.
The team’s offensive line has been far from the ideal image of perfect health. Both Jordan Mailata and Lane Johnson have gone through injuries this season, whether physically or mentally. Having a back-up if one of the two tackles goes down again could be crucial.
The Eagles Should Trade Him While His Value Is Up
Having a decent, cheap backup in the event of injury or other is definitely appealing. But this isn’t something the Eagles should think twice about. It was just two months ago the team would’ve struggled to get back a fifth-rounder for Dillard. Now, they could be looking at a third or even second-rounder.
There’s also a chance that Dillard isn’t able to keep up his decent play when he’s asked to take over if the Eagles do keep him, which could additionally incentivize them to make a trade while his value is up. Take the quality second day pick and build for the future is the right move.
We’ll just have to wait and see if the Howie Roseman moves Dillard (or any other players) to contenders for future assets within the next nine days.
