Should the Philadelphia Eagles consider trading Saquon Barkley if another team is willing to pay a premium for him? That question pulls at the heartstrings of every Eagles fan, and it got a lot louder after ESPN’s Ben Solak floated a trade that would send the star running back to the Houston Texans.

Let me be clear right out of the gate. I don’t think Philadelphia should pull the trigger right now. The Eagles should evaluate the next couple of games first. If there’s any chance they can get a few players back and compete a little bit, then maybe you keep Saquon around. I’m not saying this team is going to win the Super Bowl by any means. But if it can at least look better than it has, that changes the math.

However, at this point, everything has to be on the table. Suppose Howie Roseman gauges the trade market and another team offers a high draft pick, or maybe multiple high draft picks. That would be for a guy who is going to be 30 years old at the end of this season. You have to really consider moving Saquon Barkley in that scenario.

And I hate saying it, because he’s such a good player.

Saquon Barkley still has plenty left in the tank

Here’s the thing. When I look at Saquon both last year and this year, I see a running back with a lot left in the tank. He can still make his cuts. He can still break off big runs. The burst is there, and so is the vision.

The problem has been up front on the offensive line. It has nothing to do with Saquon. He just hasn’t had any lanes to run through. You can’t blame a back for a pile of bodies waiting for him at the line of scrimmage, and anybody watching the tape knows that’s been the story for Philly.

That’s exactly why this is so tough. You’re not trading a guy who is falling off a cliff. You’d be trading a guy whose production has been capped by what’s happening in front of him. So the timing matters.

Breaking down Ben Solak’s Saquon Barkley trade proposal

Now, let’s get to the proposal itself. Solak put together a package that would send Barkley to Houston: Saquon in exchange for a third round pick in 2027, a sixth round pick in 2027, a second round pick in 2028. Would that get it done along with Texans running back Woody Marks?

That’s a lot of draft capital, according to A to Z Sports trade simulator. And on top of the picks, the Eagles would get a young offensive player back in Marks, so the backfield wouldn’t be left completely empty.

But I still would aim higher. If I’m Philadelphia, I’m pushing for a high second-round pick or a first-round pick, and I’m pretty sure Howie could get that. Look at what he got for Cam Jurgens, for crying out loud. Roseman knows how to work the phones, and he knows how to squeeze value out of a deal when teams come calling.

I do think a lot of offers will be on the table if the Eagles open the door. A running back of Saquon’s caliber doesn’t hit the market often, and contenders looking for a final piece will be lining up.

Why Howie Roseman can’t hold on too long

This whole situation takes me back to what happened after the Eagles’ Super Bowl run in the 2017 season. The lesson from that stretch was simple. You can’t hold on to guys too long. You have to maximize their value while it’s still there.

I bet Roseman is thinking about that right now. He’s probably looking back and saying, if I had moved quarterback Tanner McKee earlier on, I could have gotten a second- or third-round pick for him. Waiting too long has a cost, and Howie knows that better than anybody.

That’s the uncomfortable reality with Saquon. His value is never going to be higher than it is right now, and the age clock doesn’t stop for anybody, no matter how special the player is.

So yes, I think there’s a real chance Saquon Barkley is traded. It would sting, and a lot of Eagles fans would be upset. But if Roseman can turn a 30-year-old running back stuck behind a struggling offensive line into a first-round pick and a young replacement, that’s the kind of move that keeps this franchise ahead of everyone else in the NFC East. Simple as that.