Saints and Eagles shake up the first round of the 2022 NFL Draft with selection exchange

New Orleans and Philadelphia changed the landscape of the first round of the 2022 Draft with a selection exchange that includes 2023 and 2024 shifts

The philadelphia eagles have agreed to trade two of their first-round picks from the 2022 NFL Draftshifts No. 16 and No. 19 global, to which New Orleans Saintsin exchange for the first-round pick of the Draft 2022the No. 18 overall, and a first-round pick from Draft 2023 from New Orleans.

The eagles will additionally receive a second-round pick from the Draft 2024plus a third-round pick, the 101st overall pick, and a seventh-round pick, the 237th overall pick of the Draft 2022while also sending a sixth-round pick, the 194th overall pick of 2022, to the saints back.

After the exchange, the eagles are kept with two turns in the first round of the 2022 NFL Draftsince they also have the 15th overall turn.

According to the draft value calculator of ESPNthe eagles they got the best part of the deal, “if the 2022 and 2023 shifts were treated at the same value.”

Other evaluation tables rate the pact more closely. In any case, the saints they clearly paid a high price to get next year’s first-round pick “a little early,” as the GM has described Mickey Loomis similar exchanges in past years.

It also helps New Orleans to add talent is having to use what little cap space they have left in free agency. The saints have made it clear that they do not plan a rebuild under the new head coach Dennis Allenand showed a willingness to spend big with the quarterback deshaun watson. However, the saints they’ve shown great reluctance to pay with minimal free-agent signings after starting the offseason about $75 million over the salary cap.

It is not clear if the saints they intend to bundle their now two first-round picks for another move, or they’re drawn to the idea of ​​picking twice within the first 20 rungs. Loomis He said early in the offseason that it would be too difficult to bet on getting an 18th-at-bat quarterback. Since then, the saints have signed two veterans in free agency, at quarterbacks James Winston and andy dalton.

Other needs for saints include wide receiver, offensive tackle and safety positions after losing tackle Terron Armstead and safety marcus-williams in free agency, and at safety Malcolm Jenkins to retirement.

The eagles they were happy to find a deal partner, not only because it spreads their assets over multiple seasons, but it adds to their total draft capital by adding a future second-round pick.

Also, it provides flexibility in terms of the quarterback position. Jalen Hurts is about to begin his second full season as a starter after guiding philadelphia to the postseason in 2021. The owner of the eagles, Jeffrey Luriepraised hurts during the annual meeting of owners of the NFL in Palm Beach, Florida, last week, saying they are “committed” to hurts, whom he described as “incredibly dedicated” and an “excellent leader of men”. He ended that comment, however, by saying, “Who knows what the future holds, right?”

The move essentially gives them one more year to evaluate hurts23, before deciding whether they want to commit to him long-term — he could get a contract extension after the 2022 season — or move in another direction. philadelphia now owns two first-round picks in the Draft 2023which is supposed to have a better crop of quarterbacks than the ’22 one.

Information from Tim McManus was used in the writing of this note.