The Philadelphia Eagles have got off to a 3-2 start this season despite largely looking like an uneven team. They have been frustrating on offense so far and weak defensively. The team has had multiple games now of giving up 400 or more yards to opponents. Part of this could be because the team has not had much of a pass rush, which is an element they’ve been known for in prior years. Could the injection of a star Bills edge rusher be the solution for this season?
Should The Eagles Trade For Von Miller?
Several media outlets have linked both Miller and the Eagles together. Earlier in October, Sports Illustrated published a piece reporting that CBS’s Cody Benjamin urged the team to trade for the former Pro Bowler.
“Philadelphia Eagles,” Benjamin said. “Acquire Von Miller from the Buffalo Bills. The Eagles probably shouldn’t be in the business of adding aging defenders. But they badly need a pass rush, and Miller, though suspended until week 8, was a pro bowler under Vic Fangio.”
Other outlets, like Sporting News, even proposed what it would take to for the Birds to land the Bills edge rusher in a trade. They believe that due to Miller’s age it shouldn’t cost as much to obtain Miller’s services as it was in his prime. The outlet believes the primary cost for Miller at this stage in his career would most likely be a conditional third-round pick.
What Does Miller Provide?
As mentioned earlier, Miller already has a connection to current Eagles defensive coordinator Vic Fangio. Miller built that connection during his tenure with the Denver Broncos. The edge rusher spent his first nine and a half seasons with the team and put up monstrous numbers. Miller posted double-digit sacks in seven of those years on his way to many accolades. He earned eight Pro Bowl nods in Denver and three All-Pro appearances. Miller is also a two-time Super Bowl champion. He earned his first ring as the anchor of the Broncos defense in 2015. He earned Super Bowl MVP in that contest, overtaking the Carolina Panthers.
Miller was traded to the Rams in 2021 where he boasted 31 tackles and five sacks in route to his second Super Bowl win over the Cincinnati Bengals. He joined the Bills in 2021, and while he hasn’t matched the same production, he could still be a valuable rotation piece that needs a spark of life in the front seven.
Miller is also a future Hall of Fame candidate with plenty of experience getting after the quarterback. Perhaps he could also be valuable as a veteran presence who could give his expertise to the young pass rushers on this team, like Jordan Davis and Jalen Carter.
One suggestion the Eagles have had when it comes to trading for an edge rusher is former Pro Bowler Haason Reddick. However, he is returning to the Jets, so that outcome now seems like a distant pipe dream.
If the Eagles are looking to make a veteran move at the trade deadline, perhaps Miller could be the ideal candidate.
Main Image: Mark Konezny – USA Today Sports
