Exploring Howie Roseman Draft Possibilities Of Trading Up, Down, Or Staying Put

It’s a question asked every spring: what will Howie Roseman do?

We’ve seen some answers so far in free agency. Then, there’s the draft: what will the Eagles general manager do when it begins on April 23?

We think we have a pretty good idea based on his history and it’s one that starts with ‘T.’ Perhaps it’s three words, all that start with ‘T’ – trade, trade, trade.

It’s always the first round that draws the most attention, and Roseman has traded up from his original slot in seven of the past 10 drafts. Here are those moves up in the past 10 years:

2025: Jihaad Campbell

2023: Jalen Carter

2022: Jordan Davis

2021: DeVonta Smith

2019: Andre Dillard

2016: Carson Wentz

Roseman stayed put twice:

2024: Quinyon Mitchell

2020: Jalen Reagor

The GM traded down only once, going from the last pick of the first round after winning the Super Bowl to select Dallas Goedert in the second round.

Could Eagles Trade Up For Kenyon Sadiq?

Trading back could make some sense, considering that this could be a draft where as many as five prospects they like, without much separation between them. So, they could trade down with the expectation that one of them will still be there.

There are five teams without a first-round pick and some who may want to trade back into the first round for a quarterback. Even though it’s not a strong market for high-end QBs, some teams tend to fall in love because they need one.

Perhaps the best option for a trade down is with the Arizona Cardinals, since they need a quarterback after signing only Gardner Minshew in free agency to join Jacoby Brissett and Keydon Slovis, and won’t be taking one with their third overall pick.

First, acquire Josh Sweat and the Cardinals’ fourth-round pick (No. 104 overall) for the Eagles’ 23rd overall pick.

Second, take Arizona’s second- and third-round picks (No. 34 and 65) for No. 23 and the Eagles’ second picks in the fourth and fifth rounds (No. 137 and 178).

Trade up scenarios:

-A.J. Brown to the Ravens for the No. 14 overall pick. The Eagles would probably keep No. 23 overall in this deal, but it may cost Philly one of its third-day picks. A nine-pick jump would be significant.

-There’s only one team among the five just ahead of the Eagles that Roseman has a history of doing deals with, and, oddly enough, it’s the Cowboys, who have the 20th overall pick, and it’s their second pick of the first round after trading away Micah Parsons last year.

Roseman and Dallas made a deal in 2021, with the Eagles moving up two spots in a deal with the Cowboys, then in the middle of the draft, doing a deal that helped the Cowboys land center Tyler Biadasz in the 2020 fourth round.

The other four teams ahead of the Eagles, without much trade history, are the Chargers (22), Steelers (21), Panthers (19), and Vikings (18). Maybe Roseman can swing something with one of them to move up a couple spots if a player they like above others begins to drop, someone like tight end Kenyon Sadiq.