Eagles Getting More For Less With D'Andre Swift Trade?
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The Philadelphia Eagles did not have the chance to land Texas running back Bijan Robinson in the 2023 NFL Draft. The former Longhorn went off the board just one pick prior at No. 8 to the Atlanta Falcons before the Eagles would trade up to No. 9 with the Chicago Bears.
Yet, that didn't stop general manager Howie Roseman from acquiring a running back during the three-day extravaganza. Philadelphia would trade for a veteran back in D'Andre Swift, who hails from the University of Georgia like three of the Eagles' draft picks. In exchange for Swift, the Eagles gave up their 2023 seventh-round pick and a 2025 fourth-round pick, while Philadelphia also landed the Lions' seventh-rounder in addition to Swift.
The trade gave Philly a player with No. 1 back potential to add to an already-explosive offense that lost running back Miles Sanders in free agency. Sanders signed a four-year, $25 million deal with the Carolina Panthers. While one can argue whether the Eagles' deal for Swift is an upgrade talent-wise over Sanders, it can't be denied that they found a cheaper way to fill a need.
As Dov Kleiman pointed out on Twitter, combining the money given to Swift and free agent signee Rashaad Penny, both of whom will make under $3 million this season, the Eagles will save $10 million by not re-signing Sanders.
This is for good reason, as Swift has a year left on his rookie deal, while Penny's injury track record helped cheapen his price. Knowing how the Eagles use their running back by committee approach, the decision to let Sanders go may be a bargain if both can stay healthy.
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