THE ASSOCIATED PRESS

PHILADELPHIA -- With the 21st pick in Saturday's draft, the Philadelphia Eagles could land Anquan Boldin, Braylon Edwards or Chad Ocho Cinco.

Or not.

The Eagles already traded a first-round pick to fill a gaping hole, acquiring two-time Pro Bowl left tackle Jason Peters from Buffalo for the 28th pick and two other draft choices. Fans are hoping Philadelphia deals another first-rounder to finally get a playmaking receiver. Donovan McNabb hasn't had a topflight target since Terrell Owens was booted out of town.

Given recent history, there's more than a decent chance the Eagles will make a draft-day trade -- or two or three. They're usually one of the most active teams in the draft, and they've moved out of the first round the last two years.

But would Philadelphia trade the pick to get one of the star wideouts available on the market? It's possible, though coach Andy Reid insists he likes his receiving corps.

"I'll always look at something if there is a great player out there and it doesn't matter what position," Reid said. "I'm always looking to better our football team. Do I think we have good enough guys there? Yeah, I do."

DeSean Jackson, Kevin Curtis, Jason Avant, Hank Baskett and Reggie Brown give Philly its deepest group of receivers since T.O. played here in 2004-05. None of them is a Pro Bowl player, however.

Once the Eagles got Peters to protect McNabb's blind side and replace longtime starter Tra Thomas, it seemed less likely they'd trade the 21st pick for a veteran receiver. But team president Joe Banner said that's not necessarily true.

"We're always looking for players that we think can make us better," Banner said. "I think we've proven many times that we'd be willing to do what it takes, whether it be a trade or do something with somebody's contract in order to get them here."

Coming off an up-and-down season capped by an improbable playoff berth and a remarkable run to the NFC championship game, the Eagles are not in rebuilding mode. They were favourites to beat the Arizona Cardinals on the road in the conference title game, only to lose 32-25.

With McNabb still playing at a high level and a nucleus of good players on both sides, the Eagles have their sights on winning a Super Bowl. Getting Boldin, Edwards or Ocho Cinco would improve their chances more than drafting a rookie.

Still, it's more likely Philadelphia will keep the 21st pick or trade down or up in the draft. The Eagles have nine other picks, including four in the fifth round.

Having addressed their needs on the offensive line by trading for Peters and signing right tackle Stacy Andrews in free agency, the Eagles probably can cross that position off their to-do list in the first round.

Adding a running back to complement injury-prone Brian Westbrook is a priority. So is getting a tight end. Now that cornerback Sheldon Brown has demanded a trade, the Eagles might consider help in the secondary.

Many mock drafts have Georgia running back Knowshon Moreno going at No. 21. Moreno is the Eagles' top choice at running back, though Connecticut's Donald Brown is a possibility if they move down. The Eagles haven't drafted a running back in the first two rounds since Reid arrived in 1999.

"We've never been philosophically opposed to it," general manager Tom Heckert said. "It's just that we've had solid running backs and figured we're not going to draft a first-round guy that's not going to play a whole lot for us. We didn't feel it was a necessity to have that guy."

Westbrook turns 30 before the season opener and backup Correll Buckhalter left for Denver, so the Eagles just might take a running back in the first round for the first time since Buddy Ryan drafted Keith Byars 10th overall in 1986.

If Moreno is gone before Philadelphia picks, Oklahoma State tight end Brandon Pettigrew could be the guy. The Eagles allowed L.J. Smith to leave in free agency, opening the way for Brent Celek to start. Pettigrew is a two-way player who blocks and is a decent receiver. He could step in and make an immediate impact, especially because McNabb favours his tight ends.

"I think he can do both," Reid said. "I think he's savvy. He's not real fast, but he's just a huge human being."

For the second straight year, the Eagles enter the draft with a disgruntled starting cornerback. Last year, it was Lito Sheppard. Now it's Brown. Sheppard wanted a new contract or a trade, but he stayed put and the two-time Pro Bowl pick ended up playing mostly on special teams. Sheppard was dealt to the Jets after the season.

The Eagles have no intention of reworking Brown's contract with four years remaining, and they're not interested in moving him. However, Brown could be a valuable chip on the trading block if Philly drafts a starting-calibre cornerback in the early rounds.

The Eagles have had mixed success in the draft under Reid. The best pick was McNabb at No. 2 overall in '99. The most productive draft came in 2002 when the Eagles took Sheppard in the first round (No. 26), safety Michael Lewis (No. 58) and Sheldon Brown (No. 59) in the second round, and Westbrook in the third (No. 91).

First-round busts include wideout Freddie Mitchell (No. 25 in 2001) and defensive end Jerome McDougle (No. 15 in 2003). In 2007, the Eagles traded out of the first round and took quarterback Kevin Kolb in the second round at No. 36. They did it again last year and ended up with defensive tackle Trevor Laws at No. 47 and Jackson at No. 49.