Eagles trade wide receiver Jalen Reagor to Vikings, ending a two-year stint in Philly

The turbulent Jalen Reagor era has finally come to an end.

The Eagles traded Reagor, the former TCU standout wide receiver, to the Minnesota Vikings on Wednesday in exchange for a 2023 seventh-round pick and a conditional 2024 fourth-round pick, which could end up as a fifth-round pick. The completion of the trade is pending Reagor’s passing a physical.

Reagor, just 23, spent two seasons with the Eagles after he was selected with the No. 21 pick in the 2020 NFL draft, one pick ahead of new teammate Justin Jefferson.

» READ MORE: Eagles over 9.5 wins? Their schedule might make the extra juice worth it.

While Jefferson rapidly rose to All-Pro status, compiling 196 catches, 3,016 receiving yards, and 17 touchdowns over two seasons, Reagor failed to latch on — both as a receiver and a returner. Over two seasons, Reagor recorded just 64 catches, 695 receiving yards, and three touchdowns. As a returner last season, Reagor logged 31 punt returns with an average of 7.3 yards per return. He also fielded 12 kickoffs with an average of 21.3 yards per return.

Reagor’s struggles, by and large, played a factor in the team selecting former Heisman Trophy winner DeVonta Smith with its top pick in last year’s draft. The Eagles also added star receiver A.J. Brown earlier in the offseason, in addition to signing wideout Zach Pascal, which meant Reagor dropped to fifth on the depth chart behind Brown, Smith, Pascal, and Quez Watkins.

» READ MORE: Are the 2022 Eagles Howie Roseman’s best roster ever?

At the beginning of training camp, coach Nick Sirianni acknowledged that Reagor was “battling” for a roster spot.

“Personally, I love a good challenge,” Reagor said earlier in August. “It’s a humbling experience because you go from being a first-rounder to you battling, but I like challenges.”

Reagor also dealt with personal hardship during his stint with the Eagles. Last summer, he failed a conditioning test on the day players reported to camp while dealing with the death of a close childhood friend. This summer, Reagor lost another close friend: former Vikings and Cardinals cornerback Jeff Gladney, who died in a car accident May 31. Gladney and Reagor were teammates at TCU, and the duo trained together during the offseason in the Dallas area.

“We’ve been best friends,” Reagor said in remembrance of Gladney. “We did everything together. We bought our first car together, our first house, everything, so I just always remember he’s next to me.”

He continued: “I want to be here [Philadelphia] for the rest of my career. But it’s a business. It’s a business of production. I’m going to handle my end, and I’ll let them handle theirs.”

» READ MORE: Eagles should not get rid of Andre Dillard or Jalen Reagor

Throughout the summer, general manager Howie Roseman aggressively attempted to find a trade partner for Reagor, but wound up keeping Reagor on the team’s initial 53-man roster, which was announced Tuesday afternoon.

“I think when you look at Jalen, one of the things that one of our scouts said to me today is he was one of the only guys that practiced every day,” Roseman said Tuesday. “The guy brought it every day. He worked on his craft. He had a great attitude, great energy. Obviously, he’s a talented guy. He’s 23 years old.

“We’re going to do whatever we think is in the best interest of the team, and we felt like there was no doubt in our mind that he deserved a role on this team.”

The trade broke less than one hour before the Eagles held a practice Wednesday afternoon at NovaCare Complex. Tight end Dallas Goedert and cornerback Darius Slay said Reagor spent time saying goodbye to several teammates inside the locker room before he left the building.

“It was tough,” Slay said. “But it’s a fresh start for him. I’m wishing nothing but the best for him because that’s my guy. When I got traded here, he got drafted here [in 2020]. I’m looking forward him to reaching his high ceiling. I just don’t want him to be good Week 2 [Eagles vs. Vikings at Lincoln Financial Field]. He can be good every week after that, though.”