Eagles NFL Draft Mailbag: Will Philadelphia actually trade up in Round 1?

The Philadelphia Eagles are one week away from the start of the NFL Draft, and we might have an idea of the direction they are leaning in the early rounds. Taking a defensive player in Round 1 may be out of the cards, something the Eagles have done with their last five first-round picks.

Offense may be where the Eagles are headed, whether it's at tackle, guard, or wide receiver. The Eagles will have to add some younger talent to a unit that already is one of the most expensive in the NFL.

The uncertain future of A.J. Brown is at play too. The Eagles insist Brown is an Eagle, but won't say Brown will be on the roster Week 1. This is where everything gets tricky.

With the draft a week away, let's answer some questions in a draft mailbag.

With a lot of teams looking to trade for assets next year do you think it be smart value to move up the board and grab someone at the top of the class in this draft ?

I don't think that's the direction the Eagles are headed. This draft class isn't particularly strong compared to who is coming out next year, which is why so many teams are looking to acquire more premium picks for 2027.

The Eagles are one of those teams. Hence why a 2027 first-round pick is more valuable to them for Brown than a 2026 first. If the Eagles would trade Brown in this draft, adding a player would be better -- since the first-round pick in this draft they would acquire is likely in the 20s.

The June 1 deadline is also in play, which is really why Brown is still with the Eagles in the first place. Makes more sense for the Eagles to save money over a two-year peiod and get better draft capital for Brown that way.

I don't think moving significantly up the board will help the Eagles. Would make sense for them to move up a few spots if there's a player on the board they like -- especially with a late third-round pick as leverage.

What team areas should the Eagles be focusing on to get younger and cheaper while fulfilling needs?

This question is a good one. The Eagles have to get younger on the offensive line this offseason, and this draft is a perfect opportunity to do it.

Lane Johnson is heading into his 14th year in the league and is 35 years old (turning 36 in May). While Johnson has aspirations of playing until he's 40, the Eagles need to find the long-term replacement for him at right tackle -- similar to what they did with Jason Kelce at center when they selected Cam Jurgens a few years ago.

There are some good tackle options in the early rounds of this draft, and I expect the Eagles to address them. They kept Myles Hinton and Cameron Williams around all last season too, and both a good developmental pieces for 2026 while they figure out the long-term future of the position.

I'm higher on the guard class in this draft, especially if the Eagles address that area on Day 1 or with their first pick in Day 2. They need interior offensive line depth, as Willie Lampkin and Hollin Pierce have yet to play a snap in the NFL. Both players I like, but neither can come in right now and help this offensive line out.

The future of Tyler Steen is murky. Steen is fine at right guard, but he's a free agent after this season (rookie deal expires). Landon Dickerson's injuries had him considering retirement, so you never know how many years he's got left. Guard is a position in serious flux right now, and the Eagles need to cover their tracks there.

Offensive line should be the priority -- and will be.

What positions can you see the Eagles doubling up on in the draft?

I would like to see the Eagles go heavy on the offensive line for the reasons mentioned above. They did this at tackle last year with Hinton and Williams on Day 3 and should do the same at guard this time around.

Edge rusher is another position I think they could use two players. I like the top three of Jalyx Hunt, Nolan Smith, and Arnold Ebektie -- but what if one of those three get injured and miss multiple weeks?

This is a good top three, but it's not elite (unless Hunt becomes elite in year three). I think they need to use one of their picks on Day 2 to add more depth in the pass rushing rotation, unless there is a premium pass rusher they don't want to miss in Round 1.

The best option to add to the pass rush? Trade for a veteran like they did with Jaelan Phillips last year. There are some good players that could be moved.

Do you think we trade up for wide receiver or safety?

There's always the potential for the Eagles to trade up a few spots, especially since safety is a theme for this organization in this draft. The Eagles want to find an instant starter at safety if they can and there are a few candidates in the early rounds (Dillon Thieneman and Emmanuel McNeil-Warren come to mind).

Omar Cooper Jr. is another wide receiver candidate that could be worth trading up a few spots for in Round 1. A player like Germie Bernard could fall into their lap at No. 23 too (this is a good wide reciever class). I don't think the Eagles necessarily have to trade up for a wideout.

Remember, this isn't just Round 1 the Eagles could trade up. They could move up the board in Round 2 as well, especially since two of the top three are projected to go -- at worst -- high in the second round.

Safety is a position to watch and where the top players are selected after Caleb Downs.

Add us as a preferred source on Google