The Philadelphia Eagles have traded G Dennis Kelly to Tennessee for WR Dorial Green-Beckham in a move that only confirms how completely the Titans had given up on DBG since drafting him in the second round just 16 months ago.
Green-Beckham had been buried on the depth chart all through camp, and there was talk that he might be moved to tight end, but what was clear is that he was nowhere near the first-team plans.
Dennis Kelly is a fourth-year lineman that has seen time at both guard and tackle, but has yet to grade positively over a season, especially when it comes to pass protection.
Eagles trade grade: C+
If there’s a winner in this trade, it has to be Philadelphia. Kelly has had more time on the field to prove himself, for better or worse, and what he has shown has not been good. Last season in just 402 snaps, he allowed five sacks, one hit, and 21 hurries bouncing between guard and tackle, and even though the Eagles are low on O-line depth, they’re pretty desperate for receiver help, as well.
Green-Beckham may not have shown much last season to suggest that he can be the guy to lift this corps, but he is only a year removed from being a highly-touted prospect. He has size and the ability to run past people, and all of the physical attributes that you can’t teach. Even last season in what was seen as a disappointing rookie campaign, he caught four touchdowns for 549 yards and averaged 17.2 yards per reception, forcing five missed tackles on 32 catches.
That yardage figure would have been second-most on the Eagles' roster in 2015, almost twice what Nelson Agholor managed, and Agholor is the guy the Eagles are leaning on to have a big second season.
Titans trade grade: C
For the Titans, this is the definition of a “see what we can get in a trade before we cut the guy” move. DGB found himself buried on the depth chart, and despite seeing some reps early against San Diego, was only thrown at twice in the preseason game, catching one of those targets for 15 yards.
Titans GM Jon Robinson was hired in January of this year, and therefore has no ties to Green-Beckham, who was picked by previous GM Ruston Webster. Whether you agree with the team’s assessment on the former Missouri Tiger or not, it’s clear that the Titans organization was giving up on him sooner rather than later.
At that point, adding some depth to the O-line isn’t a bad move, as even the starting line in Tennessee is far from impressive, and there is certainly room for somebody to earn a role with solid performances—you just have to question the likelihood that that guy will ever be Dennis Kelly. To be fair to Kelly, the Eagles have usually had him spread across multiple positions as a backup, not giving him the chance to settle into any one spot and develop there. If you limit yourself strictly to preseason action, his grades are far better, and he is just coming off 32 snaps at against the Bucs that were graded well, which may be the most recent tape Tennessee looked at. If the Titans have a set plan for him and give him a run in one spot, he could potentially be a player that could help the roster. If he's set to be just another sixth-lineman, though, his positive contributions may be limited.
© 2024 PFF - all rights reserved.