Will the Philadelphia Eagles’ Inability to Trade During the Draft Hurt the Team?

It’s no secret that head coach Andy Reid enjoys trading on draft day. In six of the last eight years, he has traded up or down with his first round pick. One of the most memorable trades occurred in 2003 when he traded up 15 spot to nab defensive end Jerome McDougle, who promptly turned into one of the biggest busts in Eagles history. Last year, the Eagles traded up to the 13th pick to select defensive end Brandon Graham from Michigan. This year the NFL lockout prevents teams from trading players for draft picks; otherwise, Kevin Kolb would likely have been traded by now. Teams may trade draft picks but they can’t include players in that deal. For example, the Eagles could trade two draft picks to move up to the 15th pick, but they can’t trade their first round pick and a player to move up to the 15th pick. Based on Andy Reid’s track record, the Eagles’ head coach has to be annoyed at only being able to trade up or down if picks are involved. He can ...