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Bijan Robinson and Jahmyr Gibbs are off the board, but there is an intriguing running back out there with limited mileage on his tires. D’Andre Swift may be looking for a change of scenery after the Detroit Lions drafted Gibbs in the first round. And Swift – a proud Philly native, graduate of St. Joseph’s Prep – has been linked to the Eagles in several rumored trades.
Why not? The Eagles are relying on a backfield-by-committee situation featuring Rashaad Penny, Kenneth Gainwell, and Boston Scott heading into training camp. All three players have shown they can produce at the highest level but adding a guy like Swift – 1,680 rushing yards on 364 career carries, with 25 total touchdowns – could be a sneaky win for Howie Roseman.
UPDATE: The Eagles have completed a trade for Swift, according to ESPN’s Adam Schefter. The 24-year-old is headed from Detroit to Philly after the teams swapped seventh-round picks, with a 2025 fourth-rounder going to the Lions. Ironically, the Eagles could get what they surrendered back in 2025, via a compensatory pick, if Swift leaves in free agency next offseason. It was a master stroke.
The Eagles reaped the rewards of bringing in a hometown hero last offseason after signing Haason Reddick. He was their biggest playmaker on the defensive side of the ball, not to mention one of the team’s unquestioned leaders in the locker room. Trading for Swift has to be on the organization’s radar as the draft drags on.
ESPN’s Jeremy Fowler reported that the Lions have been receiving trade calls, with Swift’s agents saying that they have “been in contact with the team about potentially moving to a new team.” NFL Network’s Ian Rapoport added that he wouldn’t be surprised to see Swift sent packing somewhere on Day 3 for a late-round pick. Basically, there is a lot of smoke billowing out of Detroit, perhaps more than enough to graduate it from a mere rumor to a legit possibility. Stay tuned.
The Draft Network’s Justin Melo thinks Swift to Philly makes a lot of sense, along with the Dallas Cowboys and Cleveland Browns as other trade destinations. Tim Kelly of Eagles Today pointed out that Swift has shown “flashes of electricity” while averaging 5.5 yards per carry in 2022. Of course, the former second-round pick out of Georgia brings his own bag of injury problems. He has missed 10 games over the past three seasons, including a separated shoulder and high-ankle sprain last season.
Eagles Draft Tyler Steen, Sydney Brown on Day 2
The Eagles selected Georgia standouts Jalen Carter (No. 9) and Nolan Smith (No. 30) in Round 1 on April 27, then jumped right back into the deep end on Day 2. The team drafted Alabama offensive tackle Tyler Steen and Illinois safety Sydney Brown in Round 3 on April 28.
Steen made 13 starts at left tackle last season for the Crimson Tide, earning All-SEC honors after transferring to Alabama from Vanderbilt. He gives the Eagles another option at right guard depending on what they want to do with Cam Jurgens. Head coach Nick Sirianni may decide to red-shirt Jurgens at center (behind Jason Kelce) for a second straight year.
“We don’t have to make that decision for a while, but best player will play at that position,” Sirianni said of Steen, “and we feel like we have some good options, and the reason why we took him is because we feel good about him.”
NFL Media’s Lance Zierlein wrote: “Steen has good size with average athleticism and is still fine-tuning technique. He could compete for a role as a swing backup early on but could find starting snaps in time.”
Meanwhile, Brown could slide right in as a plug-and-play starter at safety and immediate replacement for C.J. Gardner-Johnson. The Eagles labeled him a “red star” player and clearly hold him in high regard when it comes to everything he does on and off the field. Draft Network’s Kyle Crabbs wrote: “He’s a five-year starter who serves as a true leader of the team and should be a positive addition to any locker room that welcomes him this upcoming offseason.”
Howie Roseman Defines ‘Red Star Player’ Meaning
General manager Howie Roseman confirmed that Sydney Brown was a red-star player when he met with reporters following the completion of Round 2. He mentioned encountering about 15 red-star players over the years, name-dropping DeVonta Smith and Landon Dickerson as two recent examples.
Roseman said of Brown: “That’s a guy who kind of exemplifies what it means to be an Eagle, so it’s great character, captain, testing numbers, intelligence, plays the way it should be played, practices the way it should be played.”
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