On Friday night, the New England Patriots shocked the NFL world and traded for New Orleans Saints wide receiver Brandin Cooks in a blockbuster deal. However, before the Saints pulled the trigger on the Patriots’ offer, they got a huge offer from the Philadelphia Eagles.
According to Mike Florio of Pro Football Talk, the Eagles offered veteran safety Malcolm Jenkins, a third-round pick, and a fourth-round pick for Cooks. Florio added that the Saints wanted a second-round pick and Jenkins in exchange for the 23-year old wideout.
Jenkins, who was drafted in the first round by the New Orleans Saints in the 2009 NFL draft, played five years in the Big Easy and helped them win their first Super Bowl that same season.
After spending five years in New Orleans, Jenkins was signed by the Eagles as a free agent in 2014 and has provided stability to their secondary. In three seasons with the Eagles, Jenkins has 252 tackles, 33 pass deflections, eight interceptions, and four forced fumbles.
This past season, Jenkins barely missed a snap for the Eagles as he was an iron man, playing 99.9 percent of defensive snaps.
If the Saints decided to take the Eagles’ offer, they would have added a playmaker in Jenkins to their average secondary. The Eagles, on the other hand, would have received a speedy wideout in Cooks, who would be a fantastic target for quarterback Carson Wentz.
But in the end, this trade would have hurt the Eagles long-term because losing a veteran playmaker and leader in Jenkins is not easy to replace. Not only would the Eagles have to spend a draft pick on a cornerback, they would have to do the same thing for a safety. There is no need to create an issue at a stable position, just to provide a quick fix at another spot.
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