Eagles win McCoy-Alonso trade

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RICK DRUMMOND via <a href="http://espn.go.com/" title="ESPN" class="espn_sc_byline">ESPN </a>
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March 3, 2015, 9:10 PM ET
3 min read

— -- Pro Football Focus will be providing analysis for every major signing and trade during the 2015 free-agency period, accounting primarily for the quality of player and his fit with his new team, and focusing less on the financial terms of the deal.

First up are trade grades for Tuesday's proposed deal involving the Buffalo Bills and Philadelphia Eagles. Adam Schefter reports that the trade is in place but isn't able to become official until 4 p.m. ET on Tuesday, March 10.

Bills get: RB  LeSean McCoy

Eagles get: LB Kiko Alonso

Buffalo Bills: C

McCoy moves from top O-line to bottom.

LeSean McCoy, a year removed from posting the second-highest PFF run grade in the years since we started grading, moves on to Buffalo, where a new staff and a much less friendly running environment await.

With C.J. Spiller headed out as a free agent and Fred Jackson another year older, McCoy instantly becomes the feature piece in the Bills' backfield, but the move puts even more focus on the Buffalo O-line. In as wide a swing as could be made, McCoy leaves an offense that boasted PFF's top-graded run-blocking O-line in 2014 to run behind the group rated last in the league.

An excellent player in space, McCoy's impact will be severely limited by that questionable front line and it'll take more than an impressive comeback by Richie Incognito to get the group in shape.

Philadelphia Eagles: A

Alonso adds to Philadelphia's pace.

In bringing Kiko Alonso aboard, the Eagles' D gets younger, cheaper and positions the unit to field a pair of athletic linebackers who have excelled in coverage in recent seasons -- Alonso finishing second among inside linebackers in that category with a plus-13.1 grade in 2013 and Mychal Kendricks fourth in 2014 at plus-9.5. The two also led the position the past two seasons with matching 0.43 yards per coverage snap figures.

In another forward-thinking play, Chip Kelly's Eagles could be seizing the opportunity to capitalize on what their tempo-based offense dictates: opponents forced to play at speed and keep up against a Philly defense better equipped to shut off passing lanes. Alonso is surely a better fit with that idea than the incumbent  DeMeco Ryans has been, and pairing that with the familiarity factor from his Oregon days, last season's injury is the only reason for pause.