Could the St. Louis Rams be Interested in Evan Mathis?

St. Louis Post-Dispatch beat reporter Jim Thomas tweeted on Thursday afternoon that the St. Louis Rams could be interested in acquiring Philadelphia Eagles guard Evan Mathis via trade. If the deal ultimately comes to fruition, it would be the second trade that the Rams and Eagles have made since free agency started, as the teams swapped quarterbacks with the Nick Foles for Sam Bradford trade on Tuesday.
The 6-foot-5, 298-pound Mathis has been one of the NFL’s best offensive guards since arriving in Philadelphia, and he’s been a Pro Bowler in 2013 and 2014 as well as a First Team All-Pro in 2013. For those who like to judge offensive line play based on subjective analytics, Mathis has long been a favorite of Pro Football Focus. He received a 25.8 overall grade (second among NFL guards) in 2014, with a 7.5 pass-blocking grade and 17.3 run-blocking grade. He was the site’s top-rated guard from 2011 to 2013.

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While Mathis has had a successful run in Philadelphia and experienced success last season, it must also be acknowledged that he’s on a downward trajectory. Mathis will be 34 years old in November, and he missed seven games this past season with an MCL sprain. He’ll count for $6.5 million against the cap in 2015 and $7 million in 2016, so he’ll be a risky investment considering his age and recent health history.

Mathis played left guard in Philadelphia, though it’s not certain where he would fit along the Rams’ line.

, who the Rams signed to a five-year, $31 million-dollar contract last season, was the team’s regular left guard in 2014, though he did play on the right side when

took over the left guard spot for three games in the early part of the season. It’s also conceivable that Saffold could end up back at his former position of right tackle if free agent

is not re-signed.

Next: Reports: Rams Interested in LB Akeem Ayers