Philadelphia Trades for D'Andre Swift, Adds Another Former Georgia Player
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By drafting defensive tackle Jordan Davis with the No.12 pick in the first-round and linebacker Nakobe Dean in the fourth-round of the 2022 NFL draft, the Philadelphia Eagles demonstrated a proclivity for selecting defenders coached by Kirby Smart at the University of Georgia. With that recent draft history it should have come as no surprise that the current brain trust of the defending NFC champions once again targeted a band of former Georgia defenders in the 2023 draft, drafting defensive tackle Jalen Carter and linebacker Nolan Smith with the No.9 and No.30 picks respectively in the first round and cornerback Kelee Ringo in the fourth-round of this week’s 2023 NFL draft. However, after the selection of Ringo, the Eagles were not done adding former Georgia players to their roster as they traded for running back D’Andre Swift, according to NFL Network Insider Ian Rapoport.
After being drafted by the Detroit Lions with the No.35 pick in the 2020 NFL draft, Swift has battled injuries for much of his NFL career. When Jamaal Williams - who Swift backed-up in 2022 - signed a free-agent deal with the New Orleans Saints earlier in the offseason, some assumed Swift would regain his starting role in the Lions’ offense. However, once the Lions signed David Montgomery to a three-year deal worth $18 million in March, it became clear that Swift was not in Detroit’s long-term plans. When the Lions dedicated precious draft capital to selecting former Alabama running back Jahmyr Gibbs with the No.12 overall pick in this year’s draft, Swift’s fate with the Lions was all but sealed, paving the way for the Eagles to strike a deal to add the Philadelphia native to their growing collection of former Georgia stars.
Swift burst onto the scene as a Freshman at Georgia during its run to the College Football Playoff in 2017, rushing for 618 yards and an impressive 7.6 yards per rush in a reserve role behind Nick Chubb and Sony Michel. Following the departures of Chubb and Michel, the former five-star prospect assumed the feature running back role for the Bulldogs during the 2018 and 2019 seasons. Swift finished his career at Georgia rushing for 2,885 yards and 20 touchdowns with another 666 yards and five touchdowns as a receiver.
Despite several frustrating injuries during his tenure with the Lions that forced him to miss at least three games in each of his three seasons in Detroit, Swift was a dynamic dual-threat player for the Lions when healthy. Swift’s most productive professional season came in 2021 when he produced 1,068 total yards and seven total touchdowns for a Detroit team that finished 3-13 under then new head coach Dan Campbell. In three seasons with the Lions, the 24-year-old back rushed for 1,680 yards and 18 touchdowns, while amassing 156 receptions and 1,198 receiving yards along with seven receiving touchdowns.
Fresh off the trade to Philadelphia, the former Georgia star is set to earn $1.774 million in the fourth year of his rookie contract. The Eagles lost Miles Sanders - their starting running back in 2022 - to free agency this offseason and have added a number of veteran backs to try to replace the 1,269 rushing yards and 11 touchdowns that Sanders provided the NFC champions a year ago. Prior to trading for Swift, the Eagles previously added Rashaad Penny, Kenneth Gainwell, Boston Scott, Trey Sermon, and Kennedy Brooks to their running back room. However, if Swift can stay healthy, his dual-threat talent and home-run ability give him an edge to emerge as the feature back for his the Eagles in their quest to bring a Super Bowl championship back to his hometown.
