Philadelphia Eagles general manager Howie Roseman has never been shy about making deals in the NFL draft.
Roseman has traded up in four of the last five drafts to secure top talents like DeVonta Smith and Jalen Carter.
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But could the Eagles trade this year’s first-rounder for an All-Pro player? ESPN seems to think so.
On Monday, ESPN’s Bill Barnwell made up an entire mock draft of just trades. In his own words, the exercise itself is a bit “ridiculous and absurd.”
But in it, Barnwell made the case for the Eagles making a blockbuster trade on draft night.
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The Eagles would send their No. 23 overall pick, a 2027 third-rounder and edge rusher Nolan Smith for Las Vegas Raiders star Maxx Crosby.
Here’s Barnwell’s pitch for the Eagles to acquire Crosby, the two-time All-Pro and one of the best pass rushers in the NFL.
“What, you thought we were making it through 32 trades without a Crosby deal? While Crosby is saying that he wants to move forward with the only pro organization he has ever known after his trade to the Ravens fell through, the same logic that led the Raiders to initially deal Crosby to Baltimore still holds,” Barnwell wrote.
“Vegas doesn’t appear to be close to seriously contending. Crosby turns 29 in August. He wants to win, ideally sooner rather than later. That might happen in Vegas, but by the time it does, Crosby could be well past his peak.
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“With a predilection for trades and an affinity for elite defensive linemen, Howie Roseman’s Eagles have always been on the fringes of the Crosby sweepstakes. The issue is money. Philly is spending a whopping $219 million on their offense this season, and though the defense comes in at just over $86 million, those figures will change in the years to come.
“Jordan Davis just got paid, and D-line partner Jalen Carter should be next. Cornerbacks Quinyon Mitchell and Cooper DeJean are about to get much bigger deals after 2026. The Eagles will have to shift some money from offense to the defense, and spending a ton on Crosby won’t make that process easier.
“… I’m sure Roseman and the Eagles still have high hopes for Smith, but with the 25-year-old’s fifth-year-option decision coming this spring, this might be a natural time to consider a move. Crosby would step in as a major upgrade over Smith, with Jalyx Hunt starting on the other side and veterans Joe Tryon-Shoyinka and Arnold Ebiketie serving as the primary backups.”
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