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A Placebo named Deebo

 

One of the NFL’s more exciting players, All Pro wide receiver Deebo Samuel, a multi-purpose explosive talent, is demanding a trade from the San Francisco 49ers.  Samuel is a great player.  Should the Eagles “execute the required procedure” to trade for Deebo?

 

Oxford Languages defines PLACEBO this way:

  • a harmless pill or… procedure prescribed more for the psychological benefit to the patient than for any physiological effect.
  • a measure designed merely to calm or please someone.

 

I have no doubt Deebo Samuel would truly have a positive “physiological effect” on the Eagles.  Fact is, he’s a great player who would improve any team in the NFL.  But he would not be the best answer to building this squad towards Super Bowl contender.  The Eagles have a lot of holes.  For any team where Deebo is the “Cherry on the top” to help take a very good team to the Supe, that team should pursue him.  But for teams where the draft capital that it’d cost to get Deebo (2 first rounders?) AND the cap space required to sign him (25 million dollars)… Well, that cost is too high for the Birds, as currently composed (with, clearly multiple needs) to most advantageously complete their core. 

 

Eagles Lesson:  As previously mentioned (3/23- How to spend to Receive, 04/04- When to Overpay, 04/07- Who will Digg it?), the Eagles need to leverage their current enviable draft position to acquire 2 first round rookies, say, a rookie wide receiver who in a couple years projects to be 80% as good as Deebo, a rookie defensive player who will be a starter, and then spend the remaining cap space (that would have otherwise been occupied by Samuel) on a good defensive player.  That combination of 3 players will likely better help complete the Birds than Deebo, much as I or any fan would love to see him in Eagle green.

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