Bills Stealing LeSean McCoy From Eagles Would Be Huge Coup for Buffalo

There's been quite a bit of turmoil in Buffalo these past few months, with Doug Marrone's abrupt departure as head coach and Rex Ryan's arrival as his replacement.

Now, there's been yet another stunning development in Western New York. This time, it's something that could land the entire Buffalo front office in hot water with the law...

Because the Bills may have just committed highway robbery.

According to ESPN's Adam Schefter, the Bills and Philadelphia Eagles are set to pull the trigger on a blockbuster trade that would swap Eagles running back LeSean McCoy and Bills linebacker Kiko Alonso:

Before we go any further, it's worth noting that McCoy's representation, super agent Drew Rosenhaus, has denied that his client is about to change ZIP codes:

However, Ian Rapoport of NFL.com had additional info on this trade that isn't but sure looks like it is:

It's a stunning end to McCoy's time with the Eagles.

Year	Games	Att.	Yards	Avg.	TD	Rec.	Yards	TD
2009	16	155	637	4.1	4	40	308	0
2010	15	207	1,080	5.2	7	78	592	2
2011	15	273	1,309	4.8	17	48	315	3
2012	12	200	840	4.2	2	54	373	3
2013	16	314	1,607	5.1	9	52	539	2
2014	16	312	1,319	4.2	5	28	155	0

This time a year ago, McCoy was still basking in the adulation from his 2013 season. In head coach Chip Kelly's first year in Philly, McCoy led the NFL with 1,607 rushing yards. McCoy found the end zone 11 times and brought home Offensive Player of the Year honors.

On the surface, McCoy's 1,319 rushing yards in 2014 don't look too bad. However, McCoy's yards per carry were down almost a full yard from the season prior. His usage in the passing game plummeted from 52 catches in 2013 to only 28 last year. After those 11 total scores in 2013, "Shady" found the end zone only five times in 2014. He didn't catch a touchdown pass for the first time since his rookie season.

There were also reports of a rift between player and coach, although Kelly told a Philadelphia radio station back in December that he wanted McCoy on the team in 2015, per The Philadelphia Inquirer's Zach Berman:

Rift or no, it appears Kelly's mind has changed in that regard.

And for that, the Bills should be thankful.

Mind you, this isn't to say Kiko Alonso is anything less than a fine young linebacker. The former Oregon star (a coincidence, I'm sure) more than justified the faith the Bills showed by drafting him in the 2013 second round.

Alonso was outstanding as a rookie. He racked up 159 total tackles (third in the NFL), ranked second among linebackers with five interceptions and was a top-10 inside linebacker, per Pro Football Focus.

As Michael David Smith of ProFootballTalk reports, Alonso also comes with a much lower sticker price than Shady:

Giving up a young, productive player who is still on his rookie contract is a major sacrifice. However, it's one the Bills can afford to make for multiple reasons.

First, for as well as Alonso played in 2013, a torn ACL wiped out his entire 2014 season. With Alonso on the sideline, rookie Preston Brown was thrust into the starting lineup. And just like Alonso the year before, Brown shined for the Bills' fourth-ranked defense.

With Buffalo moving to the 3-4 under Ryan, one of the talented young trio of Alonso, Brown and Nigel Bradham was likely looking at a reserve role inside. This trade clears the logjam for a Bills defense that was elite without Alonso just last year.

Then there's the matter of the Buffalo running backs.

Player	Att.	Yards	Avg.	TD
Fred Jackson	141	525	3.7	2
Anthony Dixon	105	432	4.1	2
C.J. Spiller	78	300	3.8	0
Bryce Brown	36	126	3.5	0

The Bills struggled to run the ball a year ago. Fred Jackson led the team with a paltry 525 rushing yards in 2014—the same Fred Jackson who averaged only 3.7 yards a carry.

Oh, and he just turned 34.

C.J. Spiller missed nearly half of last season, averaged a career-low 3.8 yards per tote and hits free agency next week. Bryce Brown is a viable NFL starter only in the fever dreams of fantasy football owners enamored with his glimpses of game-breaking ability.

Given Ryan's propensity for running the ball while he coached the New York Jets, and the Bills' gaping maw of a hole at quarterback, Buffalo needed to significantly upgrade its backfield.

And McCoy is most certainly a significant upgrade.

Credit: Gary Davenport/Bleacher Report

Yes, McCoy's 2014 was something of a mess. Pro Football Focus graded the six-year veteran as the NFL's third-worst running back last season.

But the year before? McCoy ranked first. He ranked inside the top 10 the season before that. In many respects, McCoy combines the best attributes of Spiller and Jackson—the former's ability to reel off the big play, the latter's ability to pick up yardage between the tackles and catch the ball out of the backfield.

And at only 26, McCoy's tires still have ample tread, even after successive 300-carry seasons. In fact, McCoy has never missed more than four games in a season—a welcome change from Spiller's constantly sketchy availability in recent years.

Recent years in the NFL have also brought about a devaluation of the running back position, whether in the draft or free agency. That, combined with McCoy's salary, recent workload and 2014 struggles, has led some to question the wisdom of giving up a valuable asset such as Alonso to get him.

However, with over $30 million in cap space, per Over the Cap, and solid depth at inside linebacker, it's a move the Bills could afford to make. With an unsettled (to put it mildly) quarterback situation and holes all over the backfield, it's a move the Bills needed to make.

And if McCoy can rebound in 2015 to something approaching his form in 2013, then it's a move the Bills will be very glad they made.

Gary Davenport is an NFL Analyst at Bleacher Report and a member of the Fantasy Sports Writers Association and the Pro Football Writers of America. You can follow Gary on Twitter @IDPManor.