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Eagles cornerback Brandon Boykin could be on the trade market and the Dolphins are reportedly interested.(Photo by Eric Hartline | USA TODAY Sports)

If the reports are accurate — and there have been enough rumors to suggest they are— the Eagles and Miami Dolphins could be partners in a trade that sends cornerback Brandon Boykin to the AFC East.

What the Eagles would get back for the nickel cornerback who had a much better 2013 season than he did a 2014 season remains to be seen.

Boykin was a fourth-round pick out of Georgia in 2012 when Andy Reid and Howie Roseman were doing the drafting for the Eagles. He started four games as a rookie and was also the team's primary kickoff returnman.

In 2013, his first year in coordinator's Billy Davis' defense, Boykin flourished in his role as the slot corner and had a team-high six interceptions, including the one in the final game of the season at Dallas that clinched the NFC East title.

Last season, despite some glaring weaknesses in the Eagles' secondary, Boykin remained in the slot and didn't start a game. Even in the season finale against the Giants when starter Bradley Fletcher was out, Davis turned to Nolan Carroll over Boykin.

Even though head coach Chip Kelly has said Boykin will compete with Carroll and newly-acquired Walter Thurmond for the starting spot opposite Byron Maxwell, it's clear that Carroll and Thurmond are players acquired by Kelly, while Boykin was inherited.

So if Miami is interested, a deal could be done. Here are three options for what the Eagles could get back.

TRADE

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Eagles and Miami talking?

A pick: It's easy to suggest the Eagles would get say a fourth-round pick back for Boykin and Kelly would probably accept the mid-round pick and use it for depth on the offensive line, or as ammunition for another trade. The problem is Miami is already without a third-round pick and a seventh-round pick from prior trades and general manager Dennis Hickey has said he's looking to get more picks, not less.

A player: You knew this one was coming. Miami could send linebacker Dion Jordan to the Eagles for Boykin and maybe even try to get Kelly to throw in a mid-round pick. Jordan, of course, played for Kelly at Oregon and there were rumors the Eagles were going to draft him with the No. 4 pick of the 2013 draft before Miami traded up ahead of them. Problem here is Jordan has done very little in two years for the Dolphins, except get suspended for testing positives for PEDs. If it's Jordan for Boykin straight up, Miami may be getting the better player.

A move: Miami picks 14th in the first round. The Eagles pick 20th. According to the draft pick value chart there is a difference of 250 points, or a third-round pick, between the two. The Eagles could send Boykin and No. 20 to the Dolphins for No. 14 and if need be throw in a seventh-round pick, since Miami doesn't have one to sweeten the deal. Moving up six picks might not seem like a huge move, but if the Eagles did that last year they could have gotten safety Ha Ha Clinton-Dix, wide receiver Brandin Cooks or guard even guard Zack Martin. How would any of them look right now, instead of Marcus Smith?

Follow Mark Eckel on Twitter at @MarkEckel08. Find NJ.com Sports on Facebook.Contact Mark Eckel at mjeck04@verizon.net.

