Bleeding Green Nation
Chip Kelly tried to be the smartest guy in the room and fell flat on his face.
The Philadelphia Eagles are one of the most savvy franchises in the NFL under the leadership of general manager Howie Roseman, routinely coming out ahead in most of their transactions. Whether it’s draft trades or free-agent signings, the Eagles just seem to have a knack for nailing it under the current regime. But there were also a number of tumultuous times with Roseman, and even an instance of a head coach completely usurping power back before the 2015 season. You know who I’m talking about: the infamous Chip Kelly.
It’s been 10 years since the Kelly fiasco and a flurry of moves that were not well regarded among the fanbase. Perhaps one of the most notable and infuriating moves was the LeSean McCoy/Kiko Alonso trade prior to the start of free agency in 2015. I’m sure there are a lot of takes about the optics of that trade, but what about the actual outcome? Did the Eagles or Bills actually come out ahead when the dust cleared? Let’s investigate.
Kiko Alonso was traded to the Eagles in March of 2015 after spending a season on the NFI (Non-Football Injury) list in Buffalo. Alonso had turned heads as a rookie in 2013, finishing second in the voting for Defensive Rookie of the Year. Unfortunately, Alonso never broke through as anything more than a rotational/subpackage player for Philadelphia, managing just 55% of the snaps in 11 games played (1 start) in 2015.
Alonso’s true value was likely his contribution to a major trade-up the following season. The Eagles sent pick 13 in the 2016 NFL Draft along with Alonso and cornerback Byron Maxwell to the Miami Dolphins in exchange for pick 8. That pick would be packaged with a number of other assets in a massive move up to the second overall pick, which the Eagles used to select quarterback Carson Wentz.
LeSean McCoy was traded to the Bills coming off two of his best seasons from 2013-2014, including an All-Pro selection in 2013 and Pro Bowl honors in both years. To see him traded straight-up for a young linebacker with just one (admittedly very intriguing) season of production to his name was a big shock at the time–and an unpopular move to be sure. Initially I thought this trade was executed for salary cap reasons, as McCoy’s five-year, $45 million deal made him one of the highest-paid running backs in the NFL. That doesn’t seem to be the case, as the Eagles immediately turned around and paid DeMarco Murray a five-year, $40 million deal which was just $1 million/year cheaper.
McCoy would go on to play four seasons with the Bills, including three Pro Bowl...
