'I like the trades.' Inside Trader Howie's big plans for many Eagles deals in NFL draft

PHILADELPHIA − It's not a question of whether Eagle general manager Howie Roseman will make a trade during the three-day NFL draft extravaganza that begins Thursday night with the first round.

Rather, it's a question of how many and in which direction.

"I like the trades," Roseman said, then repeated with a laugh, when asked about what he likes most about this time of year.

"You know, this is fun," he continued. "I think that from my perspective, the ability for us to really put our imprint on the football team, to be able to bring guys in. We are not going to lose any games (this time of year). So, certainly that’s not going to spoil the party for us ...

"I like talking to the other teams in the league and trying to figure out if there are opportunities to work together. I like doing that."

For Roseman, who has been GM since 2010 but had final say on all personnel decisions since 2016, that typically starts with the first round. After all, Roseman has made five total trades in the first round in the last three years alone.

In 2021, he traded back from No. 6 to No. 12, then up to No. 10 to get wide receiver DeVonta Smith.

In 2022, he traded up from No. 15 to No. 13 to draft defensive tackle Jordan Davis. Roseman also traded another of the Eagles' first-round picks, at No. 18, for wide receiver A.J. Brown. Last year, he traded up from No. 10 to No. 9 to grab defensive tackle Jalen Carter.

But Roseman has also traded back in the first round, especially when the Eagles are in the range of where they're scheduled to pick Thursday night, at No. 22.

He did this in 2018, when the Eagles, at No. 32 and coming off their first Super Bowl victory, traded out of the first round for picks that led to tight end Dallas Goedert in Round 2 and cornerback Avonte Maddox in Round 4. The Ravens used that pick at No. 32 to draft quarterback Lamar Jackson.

There were two times when Roseman stood pat in the first round. That happened in 2017 when the Eagles took defensive end Derek Barnett at No. 14, and in 2020 when they took wide receiver Jalen Reagor at No. 21.

But there are also some truths, or at least, some long-held beliefs, that Roseman may or may not continue this year.

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1. Roseman does not draft for need

Roseman made it a point to say that he approaches free agency, which begins in March, as the time to address the Eagles' needs. He was busy this spring, signing running back Saquon Barkley, defensive end Bryce Huff, linebacker Devin White and safety Chauncey Gardner-Johnson along with two veteran wide receivers in Parris Campbell and DeVante Parker.

But Roseman did not address cornerback, where veterans Darius Slay, who's 33, returns, along with James Bradberry, who's 30 and coming off a disappointing season, along with 2023 rookies Kelee Ringo and Eli Ricks.

So whether the Eagles do take a cornerback in Round 1 could depend on how the Eagles feel about the future of Ringo and Ricks, not to mention the likelihood of a bounce back year from Bradberry.

2. Roseman does not draft CBs, safeties, LBs or RBs in Round 1

The Eagles haven't drafted a cornerback in the first round since 2002, a running back since 1986, a linebacker since 1979, and they've never drafted a safety in Round 1.

Clearly, the Eagles aren't going to draft a running back in Round 1 after signing Barkley. And it's safe to assume that will be the case for safety and linebacker, two positions that aren't considered strong in this draft.

But cornerback could be different, because it might be a need for the Eagles, and it's a strong position in the draft.

So if someone like Alabama's Terrion Arnold or Toledo's Quinyon Mitchell is in the Eagles' range, might Roseman trade up for one of them? Or would he prefer to stand pat for someone like Iowa's Cooper DeJean or Clemson's Nate Wiggins? Or trade back a few spots for Kool Aid McKinstry?

Perhaps Roseman tipped his hand that cornerback is not likely when he was asked about the Eagles going so long without taking a cornerback in the first round:

"When you give those numbers, those are compelling," he said. "You know, we’ve found different ways. And really, going back to me being here, and even as a personnel director, we have signed some Pro Bowl-caliber corners or traded for Pro Bowl-caliber corners, so we’ve kind of probably done it a different way."

3. Roseman does draft OL, DL and WR in Round 1

Ever since the Eagles drafted quarterback Carson Wentz No. 2 overall in 2016, the Eagles have gone defensive end, left tackle, wide receiver, wide receiver, defensive tackle, defensive tackle and defensive end in the first round.

Last year, they took Carter at No. 9 and edge rusher Nolan Smith at No. 30.

There are plenty of reasons to think the Eagles will draft one of those three positions in the first round this year.

On the offensive line, center Jason Kelce retired and backups Jack Driscoll and Sua Opeta left in free agency. In addition, right tackle Lane Johnson, who's 33, is signed through 2026, and he has indicated that he might not seek a new contract.

So perhaps someone like Alabama's JC Latham, for example, can start out as guard, then move outside to replace Johnson.

On the defensive line, Fletcher Cox retired and Haason Reddick was traded. Huff essentially replaces Reddick, but Brandon Graham is 36 and mostly a part-time player.

At wide receiver, the Eagles did not necessarily address a No. 3 receiver behind Brown and Smith. And it's quite possible that Brown could become too expensive for the Eagles as his salary cap hit goes up to $41 million in 2026, the first year of Smith's 3-year extension worth as much as $75 million.

Perhaps someone like LSU receiver Brian Thomas can start out as the No. 3 receiver, then become a top receiver if and when Brown leaves.

4. Roseman drafts for the future, but don't call it red-shirting

If there's a pattern, it's that Roseman is happy to draft for the future. In 2021 and 2022, he took center/guards Landon Dickerson and Cam Jurgens in the second round as eventual Kelce replacements. In 2022 and 2023 he took Davis and Carter as eventual Cox replacements.

But that's not limited to those positions. Roseman can apply that to wide receiver or cornerback as well.

The one constant is even though those players are drafted for the future, there's also a need for the present. After all, Dickerson became a starter at left guard as a rookie and has made the Pro Bowl the last two seasons. Jurgens moved to right guard last season and is now replacing Kelce. And Davis and Carter have had significant roles last season.

"This isn’t like another sport where we are sending them down to the minor leagues," Roseman said. "These guys are on the roster. We are expecting everyone to contribute on our team. We still have to build depth.

"We’ll be ready for any scenario that comes from us," Roseman said. "We’ll be ready to make decisions on the clock and we’ll be ready to trade."

Contact Martin Frank at mfrank@delawareonline.com. Follow on X @Mfranknfl.

This article originally appeared on Delaware News Journal: Trader Howie: Inside Eagles GM plans for many trades during NFL draft