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Tim McManus
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Catherine Terrell
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ESPN Writer- Covering the NFL since 2013
- Previously covered the Saints for The Times-Picayune and The Athletic
- Bengals beat ESPN writer from 2016 to 2019
PHILADELPHIA — Sunday’s game between the Philadelphia Eagles and New Orleans Saints has implications that go beyond this season thanks to a agreement on the draft last April who sent New Orleans’ 2023 first-round pick to Philadelphia.
This first round has a 71% chance of being in the top 10, according to ESPN Analytics. This week’s results will not only help shape the playoff picture – Philly can clinch the No. 1. 1 seed in the NFC with a win while a Saints upset would help sustain their weak chances in playoffs – but would help dictate where the selection ultimately lands. ESPN’s current draft order has the Eagles in 10th place.
Eagles manager Nick Sirianni said the focus was purely on the game, but added: “It would be nice if we could go out there and get that win and then once we pick the draft later, we can be like, ‘Well, that really helped us.'”
In trade, the Saints received two 2022 first-round picks (No. 16 and No. 19) and one 2022 sixth-round pick (No. 194), while the Eagles received a first-round pick in 2022 (#18), a first-round pick in 2023 and a second-round pick in 2024 — plus a third-round pick in 2022 (#101) and a seventh-round pick (#237).
The Eagles turned around and dispatched the Nos. 18 and 101 picks Tennessee Titans for an exceptional receiver A.J. Brown.
The Saints made a deal with her Washington Commanders climb from No. 16 to No. 11 and Select Ohio State Receiver Chris Olavethen took Northern Iowa’s offensive tackle Trevor Penning 19th overall.
ESPN Saints reporter Katherine Terrell and Eagles reporter Tim McManus take a closer look at early feedback and the impact of the trade on each team’s draft plans for 2023.
Why did they do the trick in the first place?
Eagles : They held three first-round picks in the draft before the trade and wanted to spread the wealth. Some thought they could use those assets to acquire a veteran quarterback, but nothing shook. feel good about what Jalen hurts showed them in his first full year as a starter, the front office was able to use some of their draft capital on players who could help immediately – they moved in to take Georgia’s defensive tackle Jordan Davis 13th overall and traded for Brown – while preparing well for the next draft.
“We’re excited about Jalen Hurts, and we’re going to support Jalen and we want him to have a great career in Philadelphia. It was about flexibility for our team and making sure we have resources to improve our team not only This year’s draft, but next year’s draft is moving forward,” general manager Howie Roseman said. “We thought that made a lot of sense.”
Saints: The Saints entered the offseason feeling like they had another shot at making the playoffs, even with the departure of former coach Sean Payton in January. They operated as they always have, pushing back their salary cap issues another season and re-signing the quarterback. James Winston with the idea that they could do another run. The Saints repeatedly said it was not a rebuilding year and even retained the exact same staff as the previous year.
They made the move for two reasons: To get a receiver to pair with Michael Thomas (coveting Olave in particular) and snagging their left tackle from the future to replace Terron Armstead. Moving from No. 18 to No. 16 and #16. 19 allowed them to move up with another trade to get Olave, which was part of the “win now” idea they had been operating on for several years. Being able to get Penning was just a bonus. It became clear now that the Saints needed a quarterback as well, but no one seemed to think much of class at the time, as no quarterback left the roster until the Steelers of Pittsburgh take Kenny Pickett – who was the only QB taken in the first two rounds – at 20.
How did the results of the exchange play out for each side?
Eagles: Brown, selected for his second Pro Bowl this season, helped take the Eagles’ offense to another level. Heading into Week 17, he ranks fourth in receiving yards (1,304), is tied for second in receiving touchdowns (10) and with 80 receptions is nine catches shy of a brand new franchise in one season.
His presence helped boost the play of his good friend Hurts, who is averaging 10.35 yards per attempt with 10 touchdowns on two interceptions on a throw Brown’s direction. The Eagles used the 237th overall pick acquired from the Saints as part of a package to move up and take the special teams linebacker/contributor Kyron Johnson in the sixth round.
And now all eyes are on the first round of 2023.
Saints: Olave more than proved why the Saints wanted him so badly. He has 63 receptions for 940 yards and three touchdowns despite missing two games, and he could be Thomas’ eventual replacement instead of playing next to him after Thomas missed most of the season. Penning’s development has been slower, as he spent most of the season on injured reserve and is now gaining more playing time each week.
The problem is that neither has helped the Saints (6-9) to a winning record, which shows how badly the Saints need to fill other holes, including a quarter- back. That makes the loss of a first-round pick even more poignant, and the Saints Another trade with the Eagles in preseason probably makes things a bit spicier. New Orleans sent a defensive back CJ Gardner Johnsonwhose six interceptions are tied for the NFL lead this season, and a 2025 seventh-round pick at Philadelphia for a 2023 fifth-round pick and a 2024 sixth-round pick.
How will trade impact future projects?
EaglesSlated to hold a top-10 pick in what is considered a quarterback-rich draft class, Philadelphia could find itself in a high-leverage situation. There may be multiple teams looking to get into the top 10 to try and get their signalman of the future. If so, the Eagles could get a sizable payout in return if they decide to trade. The other option would be to sit still and grab the best player available. The offensive and defensive line is always at the top of the priority list with this organization, while the defensive backfield could use some attention with the cornerback james bradberry and Gardner-Johnson are both expected to become free agents after the season.
Roseman has recently made a habit of pushing assets in future drafts, and that could be in the cards again here as well. He already has an extra second round in 2024 following the trade of picks with the Saints.
Saints: This is one of the worst years for the Saints to miss out on a first-round pick given they don’t have a long-term solution at quarterback. Winston struggled before being sidelined with injury ahead of the 35-year-old Andy Dalton replaced him. Dalton remained the starter even after Winston returned from injury, but Dalton was signed in the offseason to a one-year deal. Their salary cap issues haven’t gone away either, leaving them with little capital to find a long-term solution. This makes the quarterback position a huge unanswered problem, and unless another team gives up a first-round pick for the rights to hire Payton this offseason, they might struggle to resolve. this problem anytime soon.
While it’s possible that both Olave and Penning will become key parts of the team in the years to come, it won’t matter much if they can’t find a quarterback and solve problems. other issues on what is becoming an aging roster on the defensive. side.
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