This was from PFF five days ago -- a "trading deadline" projection article where this was the #2 most common sense trade projection.
TENNESSEE TITANS S KEVIN BYARD â PHILADELPHIA EAGLES
Trade compensation: 2025 third-round pick
Contract acquired: Two years, $16,322,222 ($0 guaranteed)
Byardâs 2023 salary was reduced to $4 million before the season, which makes him significantly easier to trade at the deadline. And while heâs expressed a desire to remain in Tennessee for the rest of his career, perhaps the chance to contend for a Super Bowl is too hard to pass up.
This is a tough trade valuation, with just two safeties aged 30 or older traded since 2010 â and both for Day 3 picks. Byard is a better player than both at this stage in his career by a comfortable margin, but there may not be a middle ground where Tennessee is happy with the return and Philadelphia doesnât feel like they are giving up too much. The Eagles also do not have a third- or fourth-round pick in 2024. Ultimately, the Eagles are chasing a ring in what could potentially be the final season for close to a half-dozen franchise legends, so we think theyâre willing to be aggressive here.
Eagles starting free safety Reed Blankenship, the team's leading tackler through Week 6 with a 79.2 coverage grade, is dealing with a rib injury, so they have been looking into defensive backs across the league, which may not be a great sign.
Byard was PFFâs highest-graded safety in 2021 with a 90.4 mark and followed that up in 2022 with an 81.0 coverage grade, picking off nine passes over the past two seasons with eight more pass breakups. As a tackler, Byard has earned tackling grades above 80.0 with missed tackle rates below 7% in six straight seasons. Heâs as reliable on the back end as any player in football.
The bigger splash options here are Arizona Cardinals safety Budda Baker or Denver Broncos safety Justin Simmons. Byard took a pay cut before the 2023 campaign, whereas Baker got more money and assurances from the Arizona Cardinals and Simmons has a $14.4 million 2023 salary. Bakerâs stint on injured reserve with a hamstring injury further complicates matters, but he certainly would represent a good fit for this Eagles defense.
Cardinals head coach Jonathan Gannon was the Eagles' defensive coordinator last season, so Baker has familiarity there. However, Philadelphia doesnât have many ways to clear significant cap space at this juncture, so inheriting a big contract â or asking Denver or Arizona to retain a ton of salary instead â complicates matters tremendously.
