Eagles quiet on NFL trade-deadline day, but 49ers, Commanders, and Vikings strike deals
On a day when there were significant trades made within the NFC, the Eagles stood pat after having already made recent trades and free-agent signings.
Tuesday’s trade deadline came and went at 4 p.m. without any last-minute fireworks at the NovaCare Complex.
Eagles general manager Howie Roseman stood pat on Tuesday, one day after trading reserve defensive tackle Kentavius Street to the Falcons for a late-round draft pick. The Eagles made their most significant trade last week, sending two Day 3 picks and safety Terrell Edmunds to the Tennessee Titans for former All-Pro safety Kevin Byard.
The team also signed veteran star receiver Julio Jones and slot cornerback Bradley Roby in the weeks leading up to the deadline.
Byard, 30, made his debut in the Eagles’ 38-31 win over the Washington Commanders on Sunday and played every defensive snap despite having only joined the team at midweek. The West Philadelphia native had seven total tackles against Washington, playing primarily as a deep safety alongside Reed Blankenship.
» READ MORE: Middle Tennessee-made: How the improbable Eagles safety duo of Kevin Byard and Reed Blankenship was built
The deadline did spur some significant deals for teams loading up for the second half of the season, particularly in the NFC.
The San Francisco 49ers (5-3) acquired edge rusher Chase Young from the Washington Commanders for a third-round pick Tuesday. Washington also traded veteran pass rusher Montez Sweat to the Chicago Bears for a second-rounder earlier in the day.
Young, the No. 2 overall pick in 2020, will join an already-talented 49ers defensive front in time for San Francisco’s matchup with the Eagles on Dec. 3. The 6-foot-5, 264-pounder won defensive rookie of the year in 2020 but has struggled with injuries the last few seasons. He has five sacks this year and is set to become a free agent in the offseason.
Young isn’t the only NFC East pass rusher headed west. The Seattle Seahawks (5-2) traded a 2024 second-round pick and a 2025 sixth-rounder to the New York Giants for defensive tackle Leonard Williams on Monday. Williams has 1½ sacks this season.
The 4-4 Minnesota Vikings also made a move in hopes of staying in the NFC playoff picture, trading with Arizona for journeyman quarterback Josh Dobbs to replace Kirk Cousins, who will miss the rest of the season with an Achilles tendon injury.
The Eagles will go into the offseason projected to have nine picks in April’s draft. They have their own first- and second-round picks as well as the New Orleans Saints’ second-rounder. They should also receive four compensatory picks for players lost in free agency and have conditional picks in the fifth and sixth rounds from previous trades.
The Eagles were “poking around” at the linebacker trade market going into deadline day, according to The Athletic. The team has rotated Nakobe Dean, Nicholas Morrow, and Zach Cunningham at those spots, with Cunningham being slightly ahead of the other two in playing time.
» READ MORE: Thumbs up or down? Eagles beat writers weigh in on the Kevin Byard trade.
Defensive coordinator Sean Desai said the rotation isn’t so much about searching for an effective pairing, but rather keeping the group fresh.
“We have three guys that play really good football for us,” Desai said. “So, we want to get everybody healthy for the season and we are in this thing for the long haul, and we want to manage that. We haven’t really had a drop-off in performance regardless of who is in, so we feel confident in anybody we put out there.”
The looming roster crunch the Eagles are facing likely contributed to the decision not to make a last-second addition as well. The team has one spot open after the Street trade, but has multiple players who will need to be added soon. Jones, currently on the practice squad, can only be called up for one more game before needing to join the active roster. Starting right guard Cam Jurgens is also eligible to return from injured reserve after missing four games with a foot injury.
» READ MORE: Post-NFL trade deadline roster analysis: How the Eagles shape up for the regular season’s second half
Eagles coach Nick Sirianni said Monday that he was “hopeful” Jurgens would at least practice this week as the team prepares to play the Dallas Cowboys at home on Sunday.
“He’s done a good job getting himself in position to see if he can play this week,” Sirianni said. “Obviously, there is a lot that has to go on this week for us to feel comfortable with that. We’re hopeful. That doesn’t mean I’m saying one way or the other. I don’t know. But we’re hopeful that he can start practicing this week, but we’ll see.”