NFL Trade Rumors: Eagles Pursue LeSean McCoy, Not Le'Veon Bell After Jay Ajayi injury

Shortly after the Philadelphia Eagles fell below .500 with a loss in Week 5, they learned that running back Jay Ajayi would miss the remainder of the season with a torn ACL. It didn’t take long for the team to pursue a suitable replacement.

According to Josh Reed of WIVB in Buffalo, Philadelphia has reached out to the Buffalo Bills about a possible trade for LeSean McCoy. ESPN’s Adam Schefter reported Monday that the Eagles have no plans to seek a deal for Le’Veon Bell, who the Pittsburgh Steelers are reportedly open to trading as he continues his holdout.

McCoy spent the first six years of his career with Philadelphia, averaging 1,132 rushing yards per year. The Eagles traded the running back to the Bills in the 2015 offseason in exchange for linebacker Kiko Alonso. According to Manish Mehta of the New York Daily News, Eagles’ executive vice president Howie Roseman tried to acquire McCoy from Buffalo last year.

McCoy, 30, isn’t the same player he was during his time in Philadelphia. After missing one game, the running back has 170 yards on 45 carries with no 100-yard performances, though he is playing behind one of the league’s worst offensive lines. McCoy ran for 1,138 yards on 4.0 yards per carry in 2017.

Several serious allegations have been levied against McCoy in recent months. He’s been accused of child abuse by the mother of his six-year-old son, and his ex-girlfriend has filed a lawsuit claiming McCoy orchestrated a burglary and assault against her. McCoy has not been charged with a crime and remains eligible to play.

Bell is certainly a better player than McCoy, though he hasn’t played all season. He’s expected to return in time for Pittsburgh’s Week 8 matchup with the Cleveland Browns. The Steelers are fielding offers Bell, who is set to make roughly $850,000 per week before hitting free agency in 2019.

Philadelphia acquired Ajayi from the Miami Dolphins on Oct. 31, 2017 in exchange for a 2018 fourth-round draft pick. Ajayi had 408 rushing yards in seven regular-season games with the Eagles last season, averaging 5.8 yards per carry. The running back had 184 yards on 45 carries this season, and he missed one game with a minor fracture in his back.

Wendell Smallwood is second on the Eagles with 150 rushing yards, and he leads the team with 6.0 yards per carry. Corey Clement has 27 rushes for 112 yards and a touchdown. Clement led Philadelphia with 100 receiving yards in the Super Bowl.

With a 2-3 record, the Eagles are a half-game behind the Washington Redskins for first place in the NFC East. Philadelphia is a three-point road favorite against the New York Giants on “Thursday Night Football,” according to OddsShark.

Philadelphia ranks 25th in points per game. The Eagles have scored 23 points or fewer in all five of their contests.

​