It would make sense for the Eagles to trade Samuel, and reports are that teams have inquired about the Pro Bowl corner. He'll cost them a $9.3 million salary cap hit, according to Sports City, which is a fortune for a third cornerback.
But if the Eagles can rework Samuel's contract or find some other way to afford all three corners — without shortchanging themselves elsewhere — holding on to three first string-caliber corners isn't such a bad idea.
As much as the knee-slapping former players on the pregame and halftime shows love to talk about the importance of running the football, the NFL is a passing league now, as is college and even high school football nowadays. Three yards and a cloud of dust doesn't really exist anymore (partly because most of the turf is artificial and has tiny grains of recycled rubber rather than dust, but I digress).
NFL teams averaged 33.7 pass attempts per game compared to 27.2 rush attempts per game in 2010, the 27th straight year passes outnumbered rushes and the 18th straight year teams averaged more than 30 pass attempts per game. Teams haven't averaged 30 rushes per game since 1988.
More passing means more three receiver sets, faster tight ends and quicker, more versatile running backs who can run pass routes and elude linebackers after the catch. In other words, offenses have already evolved to take advantage of the outdated concept that size and strength is the most important factor on defense. To counteract the effect, defenses have responded with faster linebackers, more 3-4 schemes and multiple defensive backs.
The Eagles, in other words, could exemplify the new era on steroids by deploying not only three cornerbacks, but three high-quality cornerbacks. It won't overshadow their questions up front, but the next Chuck Bednarik isn't going to magically arrive at Eagles camp at Lehigh University just because the Eagles create some extra cap space by trading Samuel.
Though it's still very early, the projected starting quarterbacks in the NFC East in 2011 are Eli Manning, Tony Romo and John Beck. The Las Vegas over-under for Eagles interceptions if those three start and the Birds keep all three stud corners is roughly a bajillion. I'm taking the "over."
