Revisiting the Kevin Kolb-Dominique Rodgers-Cromartie trade
The Philadelphia Inquirer Blog - Eagles
Revisiting the Kevin Kolb-Dominique Rodgers-Cromartie trade
Zach Berman, Inquirer Staff Writer
Now that Kevin Kolb has been released by the Cardinals and Dominique Rodgers-Cromartie was not retained by the Eagles, the last remaining pieces from the 2011 blockbuster deal are Vinny Curry and Brandon Boykin. That's what the Eagles received for the Cardinals 2012 second-round pick, which the Eagles traded for the Packers second-round pick (Curry) and and a fourth-round pick (Boykin).
Boykin is a valuable cornerback for the Eagles, likely to play in the slot for the second consecutive season and potentially challenge for an outside cornerback spot. Curry will need to transition into an outside linebacker in the Eagles' 3-4, but he has pass-rushing skills despite an unproductive rookie season.
The two headliners in the deal, though, were duds in their new destinations.
Kolb was supposed to become the Cardinals' franchise quarterback, just as he was supposed to become the Eagles' franchise quarterback the year before. Injuries continue to plague Kolb's career. He started just 14 games in two seasons, throwing 17 touchdowns and 11 interceptions. But Arizona did not win enough, Ken Whisenhunt was fired, and the big money that Kolb earned became too burdensome for the new regime. He's now a free agent, with stock not nearly as high as when he was Andy Reid's chosen quarterback of the future. (Also, Michael Vick has been wildly inconsistent since the Eagles decided to go with Vick over Kolb. Kolb has wondered in the past what might have been if he had the chance to play with the core offensive players he built chemistry with in Philadelphia.)
Rodgers-Cromartie's career hasn't been more fruitful since the trade, either. He was a young, Pro Bowl cornerback when he arrived in Philadelphia, but he struggled playing in the slot in 2011 and was too often inconsistent as a featured cornerback last season. Rodgers-Cromartie had three interceptions in two seasons and became one of the sources of the fan base's frustration. The Eagles let Rodgers-Cromartie go this week, and he signed with Denver.
So now it's up to Boykin and Curry, the last two pieces in the deal. The trade has not worked out as either team could have wanted, but the Eagles at least have pieces to salage it.
Go Eagles 2013!— 14 years of- Reid's biggest snafu was drafting Kolb. It set the team back nearly a decade.
When Reid drafted Kolb, we were 2 years removed from the SB. Instead of replacing T.O., we traded out of the 1st round, giving LB Anthony Spencer to the Cowpukes. Of course, we had no need for a linebacker.
We needed just a few pieces to put us back in the big game, but we drafted Kolb with our 1st pick.
Worse, Reid spent 4 years grooming a guy with a baby arm and who played scared, then made poor use of the compensation received by the stoooopid Cardinals.
In essence, we went from a SB contender to a 4-8 team because of the Kolb pick and its domino effects. - Trades are usually intended to be win-win things. Both teams are supposed to get an improvement from their acquisitions. On the other hand, this deal was still a wash. It was, however, a lose-lose deal. Both teams were made worse by the players they traded to get.— BEMiller
- Well at least the Eagles have something to show for it. More than you can say for the Cardinals. So a minor win for the Eagles.— Breaking Bad
- Well at least the Eagles have something to show for it. More than you can say for the Cardinals. So a minor win for the Eagles.— Breaking Bad
- Kolb not even on the Birds anymore and Philly still talks about him. Give it a rest...You over-rated bunch of losers!— MRD
Gold Standard...— Professor1982- You're right MRD - we're losers, because true winners post on blogs for teams they don't follow and talk trash.— mx55
- DRC was not a young Pro Bowl player who went bad when he got to Philly. DRC was a young player who had made a Pro Bowl several seasons ago(and lets be real, the Pro Bowl isn't being an All-Pro. By the time guys pull out of the game, half the league has a shot at being in the game) and was widely considered to have regressed a point where he had no value. The Cards were openly saying they needed a real CB and drafted Peterson in the 1st rd that year even though they had a young DRC. Why? because he graded out as one of the three worst corners in the league two years running as a Cardinal. He reportedly had no heart, barely worked in practice and goofed off. He didn't tackle, missed assignments and was a basic disaster in coverage.— UncleStosh
- Kolb played 5 games all year and won more then Vick.— Sidewinder7
- But remember everyone, Andy stole DRC from Arizona. Regarding Kolb, he's still pretty much a mystery because he gets hurt too much, and he often looks afraid. However he actually had the Cards on the way to the playoffs this year until he got hurt. Reports are the Jets are after him. I had said when the trade was made, with Kolb being a QB, you havs to wait about 3 or 4 years to see how things shake out. Kolb could get into a situation where everything works for him. Then again, he could get injured again and sit out another year.— watsonmr
The Kolb deal was bad from the get go. That team had a glaring hole at reciever and defensive line players. It just showed the arragance and hubris of the front office and head coach when they picked a qb who would not see the field for at least 3-4 years, while giving up the chance for an Anthony Spencer. Total dopes.- Kevin Kolb was a bust from the word go, without Vick the Eagles would have never qualified for the 2010 Playoffs, so to say he's been inconsistent isn't factual by any standard. Now it seems the best thing to have happen to Kolb is Vick resigning with the Eagles. Had Vick and Kolb been on the open market this week, there would not be any discussion about Kolb potentially going to sign any where else in the NFL, especially not New York.— Dexter
- Way to go Zach....You really missed your calling....with "everyone" knowing that both players involved are no longer with the teams that made the deal....how is is possible that you were able to ferret out this information and get this stupid repetative story past your editor.....suggest you return to school and continue to pursue your medical degree as your reporting skills are non-existent...— nuggett
- From a John LeCarre spy novel I was reading this week, I picked up a good descriptive for Kevin Kolb: "Never-wuzzer." LeCarre uses it to describe racehorses that look promising but fail to deliver, and I think it applies equally well to Kolb.— Dave Clemens
