Eagles Bold Draft Strategy: Could Trade Up To No. 3 Be in "The Cards?"
PHILADELPHIA – It was meant to be a joke.
“I don't remember being in a situation where we have 12 picks before this year's draft for next year's draft,” Philadelphia Eagles general manager Howie Roseman said during his pre-draft news conference at the team’s South Philly headquarters on Thursday.
This was the punchline: “We'll probably have two after this draft.”
Nobody laughed, except him, and he had to remind everyone that was a joke before turning to head coach Nick Sirianni, seated next to him, and said, “Not even a courtesy laugh?”
The Eagles coach simply sat stone-faced, chin propped up on the table, his chin resting in the palm of his crooked arm, and still didn’t laugh.
Perhaps it was a subconscious glimpse into what Roseman is plotting.
Or just a joke.
When you’re looking for clues as to what the Eagles may do when the first round of the 2023 NFL Draft begins on Thursday night from Kansas City, it’s best not to leave any stone (or stone-faced Sirianni) unturned.
If Roseman’s talking (jokingly) about having two picks left after this draft, he’s talking about some major wheeling and dealing, perhaps starting as early as minutes into the beginning of the first round.
How’s this for a blockbuster?
The Eagles trade up to the No. 3 selection, swinging a deal with the Arizona Cardinals who own that pick and need to rebuild a roster that many have as the worst in the NFL.
“I think the most important thing for us here is that we utilize this opportunity to get a unique player for our team,” Roseman said. “Certainly not planning to be picking at this point in the near future. That doesn't mean - obviously, things happen, but we're not planning for that. So, we understand how important it is to get this right, and how you get it right is you make sure you get a unique player.”
It would be a bold move and likely require that the Eagles part with not only their 10th overall pick but their 30th as well and also dealing one of their two second-round selections in next year’s draft.
The reward, though, would likely be one of the top three defensive linemen in the draft as rated by the talent evaluators: Alabama’s Will Anderson, Texas Tech’s Tyree Wilson, or Georgia’s Jalen Carter.
There’s a chance Anderson or Wilson could be gone, taken at No. 2 by the Houston Texans, but whichever two are left are pretty good consolation prizes.
All three defensive players could be considered unique.
Anderson is a shade above 6-3, 253 pounds and the owner of 34.5 sacks in 42 career games with the Tide. He can also drop into coverage, though that’s a skill that would need to be developed further.
Wilson is a beast at 6-6, 271 and, while mostly a defensive end, his production – 17 sacks, and 32 tackles for loss in 35 career games with the Red Raiders – is certainly unique.
Carter has the ability to play every position on the defensive line, inside and outside.
The less expensive move would be to trade up in a deal with the Detroit Lions at No. 6 or the Las Vegas Raiders at No. 7 if one can be hammered out.
Bold but not quite as going to No. 3, and who’s to say if either of those three defensive linemen would be there? That all depends on the four quarterbacks ad where they end up getting picked.
“I think we've had tremendous meetings leading up to this draft,” Roseman said. “I think we have a really good process in place. That doesn't mean it's going to be perfect, but I'm excited about the possibilities for a week from today and certainly beyond.”
Ed Kracz covers the Philadelphia Eagles for SI's EaglesToday.
Please follow him and our Eagles coverage on Twitter at @kracze.
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