A Richard Sherman trade just doesn't add up for Eagles

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Should the Eagles trade a pick or picks in 2017 NFL Draft for Seahawks cornerback Richard Sherman?

Perhaps a more apt question is Can the Eagles trade for Richard Sherman? Because while Howie Roseman has once again proven himself a magician with the salary cap, there are a number of hoops to jump through before taking on Sherman's $11.43 million salary this season.

The Eagles currently have only $1.95 million to spend, according to OverTheCap.com. Now, they could potentially save $5 million if they designate Mychal Kendricks as a post-June 1 cut, another $3.8 million if Jason Kelce is traded, and $2.1 million if Allen Barbre is released -- all distinct possibilities. Adjusted to account for the new top 51 salaries on the roster (the salaries that make up an NFL team's payroll under the salary cap), those moves get the club to $11.72 million, which is just enough to cover Sherman.

In practice, it's far less simple. The Eagles are believed to be trying to trade Kendricks, which if they were able to do so, would prevent them from proactively using the June 1 designation, dropping the savings to $1.8 million. Meanwhile, if Kelce is on the block, there doesn’t appear to be much interest around the league at this stage, so that means the Eagles may have to bring the axe down to collect his $3.8 million. And at this point, Barbre’s $2.1 million is no longer enough, which means more salary dumps.

Under this scenario, the Eagles need to create an additional $2.91 million to afford Sherman. This is where things really begin to get tricky, because it involves releasing more players than you might think. For example, the Eagles could cut Dorial Green-Beckham and free up $0.94 million, but that elevates another player to the top 51, and the actual savings becomes $0.34 million. Do this roughly nine or 10 times on the back end of the roster, and you will eventually have enough money to pay Sherman.

That is assuming the Eagles have traded their first-round pick in the 2017 NFL Draft to Seattle in exchange for the four-time Pro Bowl selection. Otherwise, it's not enough after all. Based on OverTheCap’s current estimate, the Eagles will need $6.79 million to pay the incoming draft class. Remove their first-round pick from the equation, and it brings the number down to $4.29 million, which is more or less doable with top 51 replacements, but anything significantly higher is a problem.

Does this sound feasible to anybody? If yes, then congratulations! You’ve just released around 13 top-51 players and dealt the 14th-overall choice in the 2017 NFL Draft for a 29-year-old cornerback who’s under contract for two more seasons.

There are easier paths to conjuring the necessary cap space to fit Sherman, and he probably shouldn't cost the Eagles a first-round pick, either. Say Kendricks (post-June 1 designation), Kelce and Barbre are released and the trade is for a second-round choice. Sound better? Of course it does, although the club will still need $5.70 million to sign its rookies, requiring another cut, or two, or three -- wave goodbye to Green-Beckham, and/or Marcus Smith… and/or Matt Tobin for good measure.

The list of players who wind up on the street isn't likely to garner any sympathy from fans, especially if the end result puts Sherman in an Eagles uniform. However, these decisions present challenges, and there will be consequences. Depth along the offensive and defensive lines takes a hit, while the first- or second-round pick that is shipped to Seattle plus whatever Kendricks might have fetched are young talents deleted from the equation.

There are reasons we don't often see cap-strapped teams make these types of blockbuster swaps. For a rebuilding franchise like the Eagles, it makes less sense than normal. Suppose Carson Wentz isn't ready to lead a team to the Super Bowl in 2017. Well, Sherman turns 30 next year, and it will be the final season of his contract.

In other words, that was a lot of restructuring, a lot of young talent out the door, all for a pricey veteran who may not be very helpful or even on the roster when the Eagles do start to make that push.

Can the Eagles trade for Sherman? With enough juggling, Roseman can do just about anything. Should the Eagles trade for Sherman? Just because something can be done doesn’t mean it should.

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