The NFL offseason got its first major jolt on Tuesday evening when word of a blockbuster trade between the Buffalo Bills and Philadelphia Eagles broke.

ESPN’s Adam Schefter reported that the Eagles will send running back LeSean McCoy to the Bills in exchange for linebacker Kiko Alonso. The trade can not officially be completed until next week when the new league year begins, but several news outlets confirmed the report. Though it’s a somewhat puzzling move for both sides, it sends a clear message about what each team is trying to accomplish this offseason to improve their team.

In McCoy, Rex Ryan’s Buffalo Bills get arguably the best running back in the league and a workhorse to carry their offense. McCoy carried the ball 312 times for the Eagles last season and compiled 1,319 yards, third in the NFL, but scored just five touchdowns.

Over the course of six seasons with the Eagles, who drafted him in the second round of the 2009 NFL Draft, McCoy rushed for 6,792 yards, third most in the NFL over that span, on 1,461 attempts for a 4.6 career yards per carry average. He’s also tallied more than 2,000 receiving yards on exactly 300 receptions. His 1,607 yards rushing and 2,146 yards from scrimmage in 2013 both led the league.

Though the trade appeared to materialize from out of nowhere, McCoy told NFL Network’s LaDainian Tomlinson that he saw the writing on the wall at the end of last season.

“I had a chance to talk to LeSean McCoy a few weeks ago and he expressed to me that he didn’t think he was going back to Philly next season,” Tomlinson said on NFL Total Access. “He and Chip Kelly’s relationship had become a little strained and he just didn’t think Philly was committed to him. He actually thought that Chip kind of phased him out of the offense at times last year.”

There is some validity to that thought from McCoy, who led the Eagles to a Thanksgiving Day win in Dallas with 25 carries for 159 yards and a touchdown. Philadelphia took control of the NFC East that day, but as they stumbled to a 1-3 finish that left them short of a playoff berth, one of the determining factors what that they stopped handing the ball to McCoy in high volumes. He averaged just 18 carries per game in the final month of the season and failed to reach 100 yards rushing in each of Philadelphia’s final four games.

McCoy is due more than $10 million in 2015 and the move clears nearly $12 million in cap space for the Eagles. But the trade wasn’t purely about dumping salary and moving on from McCoy. In Alonso, the Eagles have acquired an impact linebacker who could lead their defense for years to come, and of course another Oregon Duck.

Alonso becomes the ninth Oregon player from Kelly’s tenure in Eugene to join the Eagles since Kelly took the helm in Philly early in 2013. He is also a second round pick, selected 46th overall in the 2013 draft by Buffalo, and went on to have an incredible rookie season for the bills with 159 tackles, four interceptions, two sacks, five pass breakups, a forced fumble and two fumble recoveries. His standout rookie campaign earned Alonso the Defensive Rookie of the Year honor from the Pro Football Writers’ Association and he finished runner-up for the AP Defensive Rookie of the Year award.

But as much potential as they’re getting, the Eagles inherit plenty of risk in acquiring Alonso, who missed all of the 2014 season with a torn ACL. Alonso did report recently that his rehab is going well and he expects to be ready for training camp.

“I think I’m at almost seven and a half months and I’m doing just about everything, obviously at a very controlled pace, just not going obviously 100 percent. I wouldn’t say I’m at 100 percent yet but I’m definitely moving in the right direction and taking it slow,” he told the Bills’ official radio show on February 25. “I anticipate being 100 percent before camp. By camp, I definitely feel I’ll be 100 percent.”

If healthy, Alonso could quickly change the face and the pace of an Eagles defense that was a clear weakness for the team late in the 2014 season. The acquisition of Alonso also wasn’t the only move Philly made on Tuesday aimed at remaking their defense. The Eagles released linebacker Trent Cole and cornerback Cary Williams in a pair of cost-cutting moves.

Cole, formerly one of the leaders of Philadelphia’s defense, played in all but one game for the Eagles last season at outside linebacker and finished with 6.5 sacks and 52 tackles. The 10-year veteran tallied 85.5 sacks during his tenure in Philly, but at 32 years old, he has been in decline over the last three seasons. Cutting Cole now saves Philadelphia $8.4 million against the cap this year and more than $33 million over the next three seasons. With the trade of McCoy and the release of Cole, the Eagles swiftly moved on from two of their highest salaried players.

Cutting Williams before the final year of his contract also earns them a savings of $6.25 million. Williams was largely disappointing in two seasons with the Eagles and hauled in just five interceptions as the number one corner in one of the league’s most overexposed secondaries. Philly ranked 28th in the league in total defense in 2014 and 31st in passing defense.

But with three moves on Tuesday, Philadelphia has clearly signaled their intention to improve in that area, and with loads of cap space the Eagles are expected to be heavily active in addressing their defensive needs via free agency.

COWBOYS BRING BACK BEASLEY

While the Eagles were busy starting the rebuild of their defense, the team that overcame them for the NFC East crown in the final month of the 2014 season continued to secure their receiving corps.

Just one day after placing the franchise tag on their star wide receiver Dez Bryant, the Dallas Cowboys announced on Tuesday that they had signed restricted free agent wide receiver Cole Beasley to a four-year $13.6 million contract extension. The deal includes $7 million guaranteed and a $4 million signing bonus.

Beasley, who will turn 26 in April, has provided a steady presence for the Cowboys in the slot over the last two seasons with 76 catches for 798 yards and six touchdowns, including 37-420-4 last season. He also caught seven passes for 101 yards in Dallas’ two playoff games last season, and has evolved into one of quarterback Tony Romo’s most trusted targets. Of his 37 catches last season, 13 went for third down conversions.

“He just understands and sees things similar to the way that I do,” Romo told the Dallas Morning News in December. “He understands when to sit down, when to break, and that just makes it easier.”

Like Romo, Beasley has been an excellent undrafted free agent find for the Cowboys. The three-year veteran briefly walked away from the game during his rookie training camp in 2012, but the Cowboys were so impressed by Beasley from the get-go that they asked him to return. He wasn’t used much in his rookie season, active in just 10 games with 15 catches for 128 yards. But after another training camp to develop a rapport with Romo, he has flourished.

“I feel like Tony has been pulling for me since I got here. It just took a long time. But being patient is a good thing that I did. It was kind of hard at times. But that’s kind of how you have to be here — you have to have a little patience because there are always guys that are already proven guys. You have to wait your turn, really,” Beasley told the Dallas Morning News. “For a lot of people, it was probably a question of what I could do. But I always knew if I was given the opportunity I would come through.”

With Beasley locked up, Bryant franchise-tagged, Jason Witten still going strong and Terrance Williams entering the third year of his rookie deal, Romo’s receiving corps is just about set. Now the Cowboys must address the elephant in the room that is their running back situation with lead back DeMarco Murray days from hitting the open market.

JAMEIS VISITS THE BUCS

All signs continue to point to the Tampa Bay Buccaneers using the first pick in the 2015 NFL Draft on Florida State quarterback Jameis Winston.

Winston arrived in Tampa on Monday for a three-day visit with Buccaneers brass according to ESPN’s Adam Schefter, and on Tuesday afternoon he convened with the Glazer family, owners of the team, for an all-important meeting.

For Tampa Bay, the visit — which comes nearly two months prior to the draft, much earlier than most college player visits to team facilities — is all about finding out more about Winston’s character and who he is away from the field. For Winston, the goal of the trip is to make a good impression on the team that holds his fate in their hands.

“I just want them to know that I am human and I’m a great person,” he told Buccaneers.com. “This smile isn’t fake. I just want to show them that I can be the face of this franchise one day. Actions speak louder than words.”

In addition to meeting with the Glazer family, Winston also had a breakfast meeting with Bucs coach Lovie Smith on Tuesday and later sat down with Tampa Bay GM Jason Licht. Winston didn’t go through any on-field drills during the visit. The Buccaneers saw all they needed to in that area at the NFL Scouting Combine and will get one more chance to watch Winston show off his skills at Florida State’s pro day on Tuesday, March 31.

Most player visits occur after a player’s pro day in the days leading up to the draft in April. But Winston has been a rare exception in so many cases, it’s not surprising that this one is no different.

After a redshirt season at Florida State in 2012, the Alabama-raised quarterback rose to stardom in his redshirt-freshman campaign with FSU, winning the Heisman Trophy and leading the Seminoles on an undefeated run to a National Championship. He put up strong numbers again in his sophomore season on the field, and there’s little questioning his talent and ability at this point. He told Buccaneers.com that he hopes to continue his career in the same state where he made a name for himself in the capital city of Tallahassee.

“Being able to play three years in Florida, I would love to stay here in this great state,” he said. “I’ve just got to take advantage of this blessing. It’s not really important to me to be the first pick, but it is important to me to be picked. I believe that I have been blessed during my years at Florida State to win a national championship and just be a winning quarterback. And I believe this place – I would love to be here.”

But off the field questions about Winston remain. His involvement in a sexual assault case headlines a litany of incidents that have called his character into question, incidents he must answer for in the days leading up to the draft. The combine was the first step in that process and the fact that the Bucs scheduled a follow-up meeting so quickly has to be considered a good sign for Winston. The impression he left in Tampa on this trip will go a long way toward deciding if he will be the pick when the Buccaneers make their selection on April 30.