Eagles to trade LeSean McCoy to the Bills for LB Kiko Alonso
The Eagles have a proposed trade in place that would send running back LeSean McCoy to the Bills for linebacker Kiko Alonso, according to two NFL sources.
Adam Schefter of ESPN was first with the report.
The trade is slated to occur on Tuesday when the new league year opens. The blockbuster move sends the Eagles' all-time leading rusher to Buffalo for Alonso, who played under Chip Kelly at Oregon.
Kelly was speaking at a fundraiser in Cherry Hill, N.J., but when reporters approached the coach the Eagles vice president of team security Dom DiSandro kept them from asking questions.
Alonso had a strong rookie season in 2013, but missed all of last year with a torn ACL. He has two years left on his rookie contract and is only 24 years of age. Alonso will be penciled in to start at inside linebacker alongside Mychal Kendricks. DeMeco Ryans is coming off the second Achilles tendon injury of his career and could follow other aging veterans out the Eagles' door.
McCoy, who will turn 27 this July, hadn't yet talked to Kelly when the news of the trade was first reported. He was in Miami and had learned of the deal from his agent, Drew Rosenhaus. McCoy's salary cap number was close to $12 million for 2015 and he had said that he was open to restructuring his deal. But he also said he wouldn't take a pay cut.
The Eagles hadn't approached McCoy about a new deal, per Rosenhaus.
"I just spoke with the Eagles organization and there is no trade for LeSean at this time," Rosenhaus wrote on Twitter. "There have been discussions but nothing finalized."
Despite Rosenhaus' scrambling, one source close to the situation said the trade was "a done deal."
McCoy has three years left on his contract at $10.5 million, $6.9 million and $7.6 million. Alonso, a second-round draft pick, is slated to earn $746,000 and $942,000 in the final two years of his deal. The Eagles could have more than $50 million in salary cap space when free agency begins.
Kelly, who was given complete control over football operations this offseason, has been clearing the roster of high-profile players that pre-dated his arrival. He released wide receiver DeSean Jackson last March, decided to move on from the Eagles' two longest-tenured players in guard Todd Herremans and linebacker Trent Cole and is now set to deal the franchise running back.
There had been increasing speculation that McCoy would be involved in a draft day trade that would net Kelly former Oregon quarterback Marcus Mariota, but he ends up heading to the Bills in a swap for another Duck.
Over the past five seasons, McCoy has rushed for more yards (6,155) than any other running back in the NFL.