NFL Rumors: Trading Asante Samuel Would Help Eagles Fly Higher in 2012-13

A disappointing run in the 2011-12 season has the Philadelphia Eagles ready to make adjustments in this 2012 offseason.

After acquiring stud cornerbacks Nnamdi Asomugha and Dominique Rodgers-Cromartie in the 2011 offseason, the highly talented Eagles secondary could now be without the services of CB Asante Samuel.

According to NBC Sports' Pro Football Talk, Philadelphia Inquirer reporter Jeff McLane is reporting that the Eagles will try to trade Samuel prior to the 2012 NFL Draft.

"

"Despite a few potential obstacles, the Eagles will try to trade Asante Samuel before April's draft."

"

As the Eagles have the necessary playmakers on offense, led by QB Michael Vick, and talent in the defensive secondary, one thing is for certain—this is a team capable of making a 2013 Super Bowl run.

What hurt the Eagles in the 2011-12 season was an inability to shut down teams defensively on a consistent basis. The team's passing defense greatly struggled throughout the first six games of the season.

Yet towards the end of the season, the Eagles came to play in the secondary, finishing the season ranked No. 10 in the league in passing yardage allowed, as the Eagles' biggest early-season problem transformed into a late-season strength. As a result, Philadelphia won five of its last seven games and four consecutive games to close out the season.

Considering the plethora of talent the secondary boasts behind Rodgers-Cromartie and Asomugha, arguably two of the best shut-down corners in football, there is no question the loss of Samuel is not one the team will miss much.

The Eagles will be able to use the $9.5 million salary cap hit Samuel would otherwise have created in 2012-13 to go out and acquire more players to help out in the linebacking core or on the defensive line.

As talented and productive a player as Samuel has been throughout the course of his career, the 31-year old is easily the one corner of the three that has to go, as the Eagles need the money to make other adjustments to the roster in order to compete for a Super Bowl.