Things looked rocky in Philadelphia when the Eagles got out to a 2-2 start following a 33-16 face plant, a game in which they trailed 24-0, in Week 4 at the hands of the Tampa Bay Buccaneers. However, their Week 5 bye has the team looking revitalized as the Eagles have reeled off three consecutive wins against the Cleveland Browns (20-16), at the New York Giants (28-3) and at the Cincinnati Bengals (37-17) the last three weeks.
Sitting at 5-2 and with upcoming games in Weeks 9 and 10 versus the struggling Jacksonville Jaguars and at the Dallas Cowboys, there's a very real chance Philly could be 7-2 when they face the NFC East-leading 6-2 Washington Commanders for the first time in Week 11. That begs the question of should they be aggressive ahead of next week's Nov. 5 trade deadline to reinforce their roster? Coach Nick Sirianni certainly didn't rule out the team making a move at his press conference on Monday.
"Yeah, I love the team that we have," Sirianni said, per team transcript. "And I think this team is really coming together. With that being said, I know we're always looking for ways to improve our team. I know Howie is the best at that -- of always, always, always, looking at ways he can improve the football team. I admire that and value that of how he goes to work there. But like I said, love the guys that we have. I think we're coming together really nicely as a team. But we'll see how this next week plays out."
The Eagles have actually already made a move, with the Commanders of all teams, when they traded a 2025 third-round pick and two 2025 seventh-round picks for 2022 first-round pick wide receiver Jahan Dotson and a 2025 fifth-round pick in late August. However, he hasn't been the complementary No. 3 receiver alongside A.J. Brown and DeVonta Smith that Philadelphia hoped for. Dotson has produced only 35 receiving yards and six catches on 13 targets in seven games this season. Philadelphia could use more juice to help jump-start their offense starting in the first quarter as it is the first team since the 1991 Packers -- Green Bay's last season of the 1990s that didn't involve Hall of Fame quarterback Brett Favre -- to have zero first-quarter points in their first seven games of a season, per CBS Sports Research.
Perhaps the Eagles could try again for another No. 3 receiver by sending an offer to the 1-7 Carolina Panthers for their No. 1 receiver in Diontae Johnson, who is slated to be a free agent next offseason. Johnson leads the Panthers in targets (58), catches (30), receiving yards (357) while co-leading the squad in receiving touchdowns (three) along with 2024 first-round pick Xavier Legette.