Adrian Fedkiw
The Super Bowl-champion Philadelphia Eagles will have to wait at least one more day to make their first pick of the 2018 NFL Draft in enemy territory.
And by the way, the draft in Philly was >>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>> than this one in Dallas.
Philadelphia worked out a trade with the Baltimore, sending the No. 32 selection to the Ravens for the 52nd overall pick and a 2019 second-rounder. The teams will also be swapping fourths, with the Eagles moving up seven spots from 132 to 125.
#Eagles acquire Baltimore's 52nd and 125th picks in 2018 plus a second-round pick in 2019, in exchange for the 32nd and 132nd picks. pic.twitter.com/smt7mT5K95
— Philadelphia Eagles (@Eagles) April 27, 2018
Eagles vice president of football operations Howie Roseman explained why the Eagles made the move.
We felt like the value was right for us, where we are as a football team, where the value was in this draft, there are a bunch of a players that we still like that we’re optimistic and excited to get tomorrow. Where this draft is strong, it continues to be strong until tomorrow. So it gets us an opportunity to still get a good player possibly, but more importantly, continue to build … There’s not many times you get an opportunity to move back in a draft and pick up a [future] second-round pick. For us, it was the right value.
I liked the deal for the Birds. Sure, many wanted LSU running back Derrius Guice at 32, but the running back class is like last year’s cornerback class in terms of depth. Backs you’re drafting in the third will essentially have second-round value, a fourth like a third etc. There’s not as much depth at tackle, there’s a dropoff at linebacker and you could even say the same about safety, which are positions of need for the Birds. I’m looking at the fourth or fifth round as to where the Eagles address the running back spot.
The other counter-argument is that 20-pick drop is too much and that’s fair, but since the Eagles have two fourths I can see them trading up. There’s certainly a lot of good players on the board, like Guice, edge rusher Harold Landry, guard Will Hernandez, cornerback Josh Jackson, cornerback Isaiah Oliver, wide receiver Courtland Sutton, safety Justin Reid and tackle Connor Williams.
We might even see Roseman use the 2019 second as a trade chip. Here’s the updated list of Philadelphia’s draft picks.
As we wrap up Day 1, check out our updated list of #NFLDraft picks.#EaglesDraft | #FlyEaglesFly pic.twitter.com/DaqOnVb63z
— Philadelphia Eagles (@Eagles) April 27, 2018
Here was my live reaction of the trade.
The Ravens used the final first-round pick on quarterback Lamar Jackson, who will have a fifth-year option because he was selected in the first. The selection makes sense for Baltimore because it can get out of Joe Flacco’s mammoth contract next year while having Jackson sit on the pine and learn from not only Flacco, but another multi-dimensional quarterback like Robert Griffin III.
We’ll see what the Eagles do tomorrow and yes, I definitely think they’ll be making a pick.
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