The Philadelphia Eagles made a trade before tomorrow's deadline, although it was a player that I had no memory of. The Eagles traded an undisclosed-draft pick in 2021 to acquire Genard Avery from the Cleveland Browns to try and get some help along the decimated defensive line (the pick later turned out to be a 4th-rounder that the Eagles are sending to Cleveland) .
Avery was selected in the fifth-round of the 2018 Draft by the Cleveland Browns. He was initially an outside linebacker, but because of his speed and explosiveness, they developed him into an edge rusher. However, since the Browns have so much depth at that position now, they decided to trade him to Philadelphia and will use that 4th-round pick on someone at another position they'll need more depth at.
At first, with this move, I was asking myself why? I did not recognize the name and the fact he has only played a whole season in 2018 and two games in the beginning of 2019. His 2018 season was impressive though for a rookie: 40 tackles, 4.5 sacks, and 14 quarterback hits that made Avery rank at the top among rookies who could create quarterback pressure. It's hard to judge if he made strides to improve in 2019, because he has been stuck on the bench and has only produced one tackle in the two games he has played in.
I really feel like this is a good depth piece that could certainly be great in years to come, but whether or not he will make an impact this season is yet to be known. He could prove me wrong, but for now he is just a depth piece in 2019 that could potentially be a factor in the next season or two to come. If this ends up being the case then this was not the move to show you are going all in to get the Eagles another Lombardi Trophy, which will disappoint some fans. I will say though that I am glad Howie Roseman found a guy who has been on his radar since that 2018 Draft and feels could contribute to the team in the future.
If Avery can learn the defensive scheme, I feel he will be a great fit. Just look at his highlight reel down below:
The guy is like a seeking missile when it comes to finding the quarterback. His speed jumps off on these highlights and shows that he can come out of nowhere to make the play. His strength and speed remind me a lot like another Eagles defensive end -- Derek Barnett. I think Avery will be able to make some plays and disrupt any offensive line the Eagles have to go up against in 2020 and beyond.
In all I really am appreciating this move more and more. Let's just hope his actions on the field can prove why Roseman made this move and did not go with a big name for this position. The Eagles rely heavily on the defensive line to create pressure with no blitzing help, so we will see what Avery can bring and just how disruptive he can be in midnight green.
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