Enough with the Le'Veon Bell chatter. The Eagles need help, and they could probably use a running back — but the Eagles have no business trading for Bell or any star player for that matter.
What good is a running back with a head coach who refuses to run the football, even when protecting a 17-point lead in the fourth quarter?
Can a running back prevent the defense from collapsing in second halves or cornerbacks from getting burned repeatedly by double moves?
What would be the point of packaging draft capital and talent to bring a star to a 3-4 team that will be incredibly fortunate to make the playoffs, let alone win another Super Bowl?
Never mind Bell has yet to so much as attend an NFL practice since January, he would cost a fortune in dollars and assets, he would need time to become fully ingratiated in a new offense and even Steelers ownership doesn't anticipate a trade.
Why should the Eagles be part of any conversation?
It's time to face reality. This team has problems Bell can't fix.
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That's not to say the Eagles should throw in the towel on 2018. They're two defensive stops away from being 5-2. The playoffs aren't out of reach yet, and they'll be healthier two weeks from now coming out of a bye.
But mortgaging the future when there are so many other issues — after the Eagles finally delivered a championship — makes zero sense.
Sending draft picks to the Steelers when the Eagles have an aging roster? Foolhardy. Swapping a starter when the roster's depth is already tested at almost every position? Shortsighted. Paying Bell roughly $8 million for half a season's work with numerous contract situations approaching? Costly.
All to bail out a team that's shown little sign of turning things around. All for a running back who will be a free agent come March.
Why would Bell even want to come to Philadelphia right now? The Eagles aren't going to pay him any more than the Steelers, who moved into a tie for first place in the AFC North over the weekend.
Why would the Eagles risk so much to swing a deal for a player who, as of this writing, hasn't shown up for work all season?
Enough is enough. Trading for Bell isn't a remedy. It's a pipe dream, and not merely because it's unlikely — because it's not a solution.
Sure, the Eagles would get an All-Pro running back for the remainder of '18. But there's no guarantee they could maximize his abilities on such short notice, and his arrival would come at great expense.
Not to mention Bell wouldn't fix the constant defensive breakdowns, nor the fact the Eagles are below .500 seven weeks into the season. Fans are searching for a savior in a season that may wind up not worth saving.
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