Speculation that Eagles inside linebacker Mychal Kendricks would be trade bait during the NFL draft surfaced when DeMeco Ryans signed an extension March 30.
Eagles coach Chip Kelly had already acquired inside linebacker Kiko Alonso by trading LeSean McCoy, so it was safe to assume when Ryans signed his new deal that he and Alonso would be the inside tandem of the team’s 3-4 defense.
That meant Kendricks would be the odd man out and potentially expendable, especially if Kelly could move up in the first round or acquire extra picks.
A report Wednesday by CBS Sports’ Jason La Canfora that NFL teams are balking at the Eagles’ asking price of a second-round pick for Kendricks only justified the thinking that the Eagles are attempting to move the fourth-year linebacker.
Kendricks, cornerback Brandon Boykin and a few other Eagles could be on the move from Thursday to Saturday as Kelly, who inherited total control over personnel in January, will continue to remake the roster during the NFL draft. We outlined all the potential trade candidates on Monday at CSNPhilly.com.
Kendricks has fanned the flames by staying away from the team’s voluntary offseason program. Kendricks is dealing with a family issue, according to a report by Phillymag.com, but Kendricks was also recently vacationing in Costa Rica when the program started.
The Eagles aren’t crazy to ask for a second-rounder in return for Kendricks, whom was drafted in the second round in 2012 with the 46th overall pick. After a slow start as a rookie miscast at outside linebacker in Reid’s 4-3 defense, Kendricks has played well the past two seasons in Kelly’s 3-4 scheme.
NFL
But teams also understand that the Eagles are looking to move him, which usually devalues a player, and the draft has some decent prospects at the same position, so a team might be reluctant right now to give up a high draft pick.