The Lions traded D’Andre Swift to the Philadelphia Eagles for a meaningless move in Round 7 and a fourth-round pick a million years from now (or 2025). Even for a one-year rental that feels a bit . . . light.
At one point late last season, Jerry Jones was criticizing the Eagles for going all-in on the 2022 season. This was one of the weirder rhetorical flourishes, since the Eagles would eventually select four times in the top 70 of the 2023 draft (including a top-10 pick), while the Cowboys selected twice and used the second of those picks on a 25-year-old tight end.
Philadelphia and Howie Roseman are simply better at this than almost everyone else. They signed Rashaad Penny, one of the NFL’s most electric RBs, for $1.35 million, while the Panthers spent $25.4 million on Miles Sanders (probably more of a two-year, $13 million deal), and Detroit spent $18 million on David Montgomery. Of course, Penny is also on a one-year contract, and both of their new, shiny toys have significant injury concerns. But this is how you maintain flexibility at a rugged position, while simultaneously sporting the most talented RB group in the NFL.