Reevaluating the Kevin Kolb Trade

Added on Dec 20, 2011 by Scott in

NFL

When the Philadelphia Eagles shipped former franchise quarterback Kevin Kolb to Arizona in exchange for cornerback Dominique Rodgers-Cromartie and a 2012 second-round draft pick this past July, it was considered a win-win for both teams. The Cardinals landed a young signal-caller to build around, while the Eagles strengthened their secondary and bolstered their stockpile of draft ammunition. Five months later, neither side has seen the results they hoped for.

Arizona sits at 7-7 and is still alive in the NFC Wild Card race. On the surface, it seems like an improved season, especially considering they were 5-11 in 2010. However, very little of their success can be attributed to Kolb, who has missed five starts due to injury and accounted for only two of their seven victories.

Backup John Skelton is 4-1 as a starter, was responsible for engineering the Week 15 upset of San Francisco after Kolb exited with a concussion, and has been under center for three of Arizona’s last four wins. In a league that worships at the feet of “winning quarterbacks,” Skelton, not Kolb, has proven himself a leader who performs in the clutch.

Both guys have been less than stellar from a statistical standpoint. Both are under 58% completion percentage. Neither has tossed for double-digit touchdown passes. Each is responsible for eleven turnovers. It’s not of the epic variety, but there is definitely a quarterback controversy heating up in the desert.

As for the Eagles, well, they are easily the biggest disappointment of the 2011 season. At 6-8, they need a string of miracles to unfold just to make the playoffs. A glut of turnovers, blown leads and horrendous defensive efforts have turned what was supposed to be a contending season into a laughable nightmare.

Rodgers-Cromartie has struggled as an inside nickel cornerback in the Birds revamped defense. He’s missed three games to injury and has made only one start. From 2008-2010, he recorded 13 interceptions and four returns for touchdowns. In eleven games this season, he has yet to pick off a pass. His future role on the team in 2012 and beyond remains unknown.

The Eagles still have a second-round pick in their pockets, but based on their recent drafts, it’s no guarantee they’ll select a good player.

At this point, the Kolb trade has reaped little benefit to either franchise. What looked like a win-win deal a few months ago appears to be a lose-lose now.