Philadelphia Eagles: A Flashback at the Kevin Kolb Trade

On the 29th of July, 2011, the Philadelphia Eagles traded Kevin Kolb to the Arizona Cardinals and received in return Dominique Rodgers-Cromartie and a 2012 NFL draft second-round pick. Kolb was not needed in Philly, since Michael Vick was the undisputed starter at quarterback, and Andy Reid opted to cash in while Kolb’s value was still high.

Less than eight months later, the Eagles can be labeled as the winners of the deal. They get to pick twice in the second round of the NFL draft, holding the No. 46 and No. 51 overall picks—the latter was acquired from Arizona.

Additionally, they have Rodgers-Cromartie on their roster. In his first season with the Eagles, Rodgers-Cromartie did not justify his “first-round pick” status and was accused of “giving up” plays. He recorded no interceptions and only 28 tackles in 13 games.

However, Rodgers-Cromartie was not a regular player on the field and had to play many times as the nickel cornerback—a place he was not very familiar with. He looked a lot better when he started opposite Nnamdi Asomugha, replacing Asante Samuel as the team’s second outside cornerback.

On the other hand, Kevin Kolb had a bumpy ride as a Cardinal in 2011. He played only nine games, averaging 217.2 yards per game and a 57.7 percent completion rate. Kolb also passed for nine touchdowns and was picked eight times.

He struggled to be consistent and struggled with concussions for a second straight year. His backup, John Skelton, had better results without having to outperform Kolb.

The Cardinals showed interest in Peyton Manning, after the 36-year-old quarterback was released. Apparently, the team’s management had its doubts whether Kolb could lead their team in the future or not.

With all that, the Eagles definitely made the right choice when they traded Kevin Kolb to Arizona. They sent away a player that has never played 10 or more games in a single season and got a second-round pick and a Pro Bowl defender in return. Nobody knows what the future holds, but right now, Philadelphia should be a lot happier than the Cardinals, who may already have regretted pulling the trigger on that deal.