Getty D'Andre Swift on the field for the Lions vs. Minnesota in 2022.
Whether or not you thought the Philadelphia Eagles should have drafted Bijan Robinson is irrelevant. They didn’t. More importantly, Robinson wasn’t even available to them in Round 1 after going to the Atlanta Falcons at pick No. 8.
The Eagles instead traded up one spot and grabbed defensive tackle Jalen Carter out of Georgia. He could be a franchise cornerstone along the defensive line for years to come. Yes, there is a huge risk associated with the 6-foot-3, 314-pounder who brings more baggage than a European traveler. That’s a debate for another day.
The Eagles chose to bypass Robinson and address their void at running back via trade. General manager Howie Roseman called the Detroit Lions and swapped picks for D’Andre Swift. He’s a 24-year-old Philly native who is entering the final year of his rookie deal. He’ll earn just $1.77 million in 2023, compared to the $22.6 million that Robinson would have been due over the next four years. It’s hard to hate the move.
Swift’s minimal contract hit isn’t the lone selling point. Look at the rest of the running back room in Philly as currently constructed:
The NFL salary cap is $224.8M. Howie Roseman will spend around 2.5% of #Eagles cap at the RB position. And have a solid room.
* D’Andre Swift $1.77M
* Rashaad Penny $1.23M
* Kenny Gainwell $1.02M
* Boston Scott $1.98M
Remember, the Eagles let Pro Bowl starter Miles Sanders walk in free agency without putting up a fight. The Carolina Panthers handed him a 4-year, $25.4 million deal and he was gone in the blink of an eye. Roseman was more than happy to roll with a low-risk, high-reward stable of running backs — D’Andre Swift, Rashaad Penny, Kenny Gainwell, Boston Scott — set to make $6 million collectively. Steal.
“We really liked the guys that we have on the roster. We think it was a talented group,” Roseman told reporters after trading for Swift. “It wasn’t in our mind a position that we were actively looking to upgrade, but at the same time, we’re always looking for opportunities to improve the team. When this came about, we just felt really good about the player, we felt really good about the person, and it adds another tremendous player and person to our locker room.”
Swift All Smiles After Reporting to Eagles Facility
Swift was all smiles in a picture posted by the Eagles showing him entering the team’s practice facility for the first time on May 1. Much like Haason Reddick a year ago, the former standout at St. Joseph’s Prep seemed happy to be home.
Home sweet home
Roseman revealed that Swift had been on their radar dating back to his high school days. They scouted him prior to the 2020 NFL draft but ended up taking quarterback Jalen Hurts in Round 2. Swift went 18 picks ahead of him at No. 35.
“I’m really excited about the opportunity to get Swift, bring him back to Philly. He’s a guy that we’ve known for a long time,” Roseman said. “Even when he was in high school we were watching him. We knew what kind of player he was, watched him through college. Really excited for that opportunity here.”
T.J Cole Gets Invite to Eagles Rookie Camp
The Eagles sent an invitation to undrafted rookie free agent T.J. Cole to attend their rookie minicamp. The former standout running back at Ouachita Baptist also received an invite to attend rookie minicamp with the Minnesota Vikings, per Aaron Wilson. Cole (6-foot, 185 pounds) turned 225 carries into 1,649 rushing yards in 2022 along with 22 rushing touchdowns. He ran for 3,965 yards over four collegiate seasons.