NFL rumors: Eagles could make a run at Patriots' All-Pro guard after Brooks injury

[UK_EaglesFan89]

NFL rumors: Eagles could make a run at Patriots' All-Pro guard after Brooks injury

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The loss of Brandon Brooks to an Achilles injury has the potential to damage the Eagles' long-term prospects in 2020 - unless they can plug the hole at right guard in time.

 

And while Doug Pederson said the team will look first at internal options, like third-year lineman Matt Pryor and second-year lineman Nate Herbig, it seems they also might have interest in options elsewhere.

That's according to Sports Illustrated's Albert Breer, who dropped this noteworthy nugget Wednesday in a mailbag column:

I don’t think if [the Eagles] get through a couple weeks of camp, and Pryor, Herbig and [rookie Jack] Driscoll aren’t where they should be, that Roseman will hesitate to pick up the phone.

Would they take a big swing on someone like New England’s franchise-tagged All-Pro guard, Joe Thuney? Based on what I know ... I think they’d at least explore it.

Breer is fairly well-sourced in the Boston area, so his commenting on a potential Thuney move carries some weight.

Who is Thuney? The 27-year-old went in the third round in 2016 and has started all 64 games for the Pats in his four years in the league, earning an All-Rookie spot in 2016 and a second-team All-Pro nod from the Associated Press in 2019.

He's spent his time in New England almost entirely at left guard, but could easily move to right guard between Jason Kelce and Lane Johnson.

Thuney would not, however, be inexpensive: the Patriots placed the franchise tag on him this offseason instead of giving him what would've been a pricey deal, so he's set to make $14,781,000 this year. Of course, he then comes off the books entirely, a perfect situation with a player who might just be a one-year rental. The Eagles have $24.7 million in cap space heading into the 2020 season.

Is it feasible? The Patriots placing the franchise tag makes it seem Bill Belichick values Thuney's talents, and doesn't want him playing elsewhere. But if the Eagles make a workable offer, he could be swayed.

If Thuney isn't the answer, NBC Sports Philadelphia's Reuben Frank examined 10 more options to replace Brooks - including a familiar face.

Phttps://www.nbcsports.com/philadelphia/eagles/nfl-rumors-eagles-trade-patriots-all-pro-guard-joe-thuney-brandon-brooks-injury

It would surely be too high a price? And unless Brooks is planning on retiring now then we need a 1 year plan rather than giving up presumably good assets.

[time2rock]

This makes no sense.  If we lost BB permanently then perhaps - but he will be back next year (if he fully recovered following an Achilles injury in Jan, 2019, to be ready to start the next season just 8 months later, I have no doubt he'll be ready with > 12 months to prepare for 2021).  After giving him a 4 year extension just 7 months ago, he is still the future at the position - I'm not giving up draft capital and the cap space that would be needed to bring Thuney here.  We draft for these reasons.  

[ManchesterEagle]

1 hour ago, time2rock said:

This makes no sense.  If we lost BB permanently then perhaps - but he will be back next year (if he fully recovered following an Achilles injury in Jan, 2019, to be ready to start the next season just 8 months later, I have no doubt he'll be ready with > 12 months to prepare for 2021).  After giving him a 4 year extension just 7 months ago, he is still the future at the position - I'm not giving up draft capital and the cap space that would be needed to bring Thuney here.  We draft for these reasons.  

Agreed - more hopeless speculation with nothing to back it up. 

[PoconoDon]

No.

Go with Pryor.

Sign cheap vet depth at camp cut time if they must.