NFL Draft 2014: What will Eagles have to trade to get Anthony Barr, UCLA linebacker?

Anthony Barr
UCLA linebacker Anthony Barr is a player the Eagles could target in a draft day trade. (Kirby Lee-USA TODAY Sports)
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on May 03, 2014 at 12:11 PM, updated May 03, 2014 at 12:42 PM

The Eagles and general manager Howie Roseman have a very difficult decision to make in the first round next week at the NFL Draft, as their first-round pick doesn't exactly land in an ideal spot.

The pass-rushers projected to be there at No. 22 -- like Dee Ford of Auburn or Kony Ealy of Missouri -- don't really fit what the team is looking for in an outside linebacker.

The receivers expected to be there -- like Odell Beckham Jr. of LSU or Kelvin Benjamin of Florida State -- are not a slam-dunk fit either. Cody Latimer of Indiana -- a player that does fit what they do -- might be a reach in the first round.

Cornerbacks? Not a big enough need to spend a first-round pick on. Same with the safeties. Offensive line? Hard to see them sitting a first-round pick sit on the bench for a year, and they have five solid starters on the offensive line already.

That is why the Eagles have to be viewed a primary candidate to trade up-or-down next week. Trading back is always possible, but with the team's biggest need being pass-rusher, it's hard to see them forfeiting a first-round pick with how Roseman views the later-round options at the position.

That means there is a strong chance this team trades up -- especially if outside linebacker Anthony Barr of UCLA starts to fall. Barr fits their biggest hole on defense in a big way, and is exactly what this Eagles' defense needs.

So what will it take to trade up?

The NFL Draft Value chart gives each pick in the draft a point value. For example, the No. 1 overall pick is worth 3,000 points. The last pick in the draft? Two whole points.

Going into the draft, the Eagles have a total of six picks and 1,390.8 points. Here is the breakdown:

No. 22: 780
No. 54: 360
No. 86: 160
No. 122: 50
No. 162: 26.6
No. 198: 12.2
No. 237: 2

Keep in mind, the chart is not a black-and-white trade calculator. Teams can take less points to move back if they want more picks, or could demand more if they really like a prospect where they are slated at. Trading picks in next year's draft is always a possibility as well.

So it doesn't have to be an even swap -- it is just a guide to help gauge what it would take to move from one pick to another.

With that in mind, here is what it would take to move up for Barr, using some possible landing spots as a guide.

Team: Tennessee Titans
Pick: 11
Points: 1,250
Give Up: No. 22 (780) & No. 54 (360)
Analysis: Even by giving their top two picks, the Eagles still fall a little short in matching value for the No. 11 pick. Tennessee is a team many people see taking Barr, so if the Eagles really want to go all in, this is the highest they would have to trade. If he gets past the Titans, the chances start to increase of the Eagles being able to make a realistic move up to get him.

Team: Pittsburgh Steelers
Pick: 15
Points: 1,150
Give Up: No. 22 (780) & No. 86 (160)
Analysis: The Steelers seem like a team that would be willing to move down. They are coming off a disappointing season, and need bodies to help the rebuild. By giving up No. 22 and No. 86, the Eagles fall short (940 points) of the 1,150 point value, but picking up an extra third-round pick to move down seven spots is a solid deal for the Steelers. By moving to No. 15, the Eagles jump the Dallas Cowboys -- a team that needs an outside pass-rusher like Barr.

NFL Draft: List of all the players on the Eagles' radar

Team: Dallas Cowboys
Pick: 16
Points: 1,000
Give Up: No. 22 (780) and No. 54 (360)
Analysis: Would rivals like the Eagles and the Cowboys do a deal together? It's happened before. In 2007, the Birds sent their first-round pick (26th overall) to the Cowboys for a second-round pick, a third-round pick and a fifth-round pick. The Eagles would likely have to pay top-value for the Cowboys pick, and owner Jerry Jones won't be doing Roseman any favors. Hard to see the Eagles making a deal with the Cowboys.

Team: Arizona Cardinals
Pick: 20
Points: 850
Give Up: No. 22 (780) and No. 122 (50)
Analysis: Moving up two spots for a fourth-round pick is steep, but it's worth it to jump the Green Bay Packers -- who pick right ahead of the Eagles at No. 21, and need a linebacker. If Barr has already fallen this far, it is worth it for the Eagles to give up a little more to secure him.

Follow Eliot Shorr-Parks on Twitter at @EliotShorrParks