Philadelphia Eagles the clear winners of pre-draft trade with Saints

The Philadelphia Eagles are clearly the winners of the big pre-2022 NFL Draft trade that went down with the New Orleans Saints.

Philadelphia Eagles general manager Howie Roseman has done it again. Roseman is no stranger to wheeling and dealing. It feels like not a year goes by where he’s not involved in some kind of massive trade, whether it involves players or draft picks, or a combination of the two.

With just weeks before the 2022 NFL Draft, Roseman has now added to his 2023 NFL Draft war chest by striking a deal with the New Orleans Saints.

Here are the full terms of the blockbuster trade:

Philadelphia Eagles add future capital in pre-draft trade with Saints

Philadelphia Eagles receive:

• 18th pick
• 101st pick
• 237th pick
• 2023 1st-round pick
• 2024 2nd-round pick

New Orleans Saints receive:

• 16th pick
• 19th pick
• 194th pick

On the surface, this is simply an outstanding trade for the Philadelphia Eagles.

Philadelphia already had three first-round picks going into this draft, all of them clustered together in the teens. They probably weren’t in love with this quarterback class and prefer Jalen Hurts’ future to the guys in the 2022 NFL Draft, so having three picks in round one was more luxury than anything else.

Because it was a luxury, the Eagles could afford to send one of those picks off for future value, and they absolutely got it by trading one of those picks for a 2023 first-rounder and a 2024 second-rounder.

By the time the 2023 offseason rolls around, the Eagles will have multiple first-round picks to work with and three picks in the first two rounds of the 2024 NFL Draft as well.

That gives them ultimate flexibility no matter what they decide to do at the quarterback position.

Oh, and they also still have two first-round picks in the 2022 NFL Draft at 15 and 18 overall. They’ll be able to add multiple impact players at those spots and turn right back around and add more talent in rounds two and three.

For the Saints, this move feels like a desperate play for a quarterback. The Eagles have strengthened their capital for a 2023 class that includes Ohio State’s CJ Stroud and Bryce Young, two players that are expected to be better than anyone available in the class of 2022.

Sometimes, patience pays off and this trade for Howie Roseman feels like buying a $50 gift card for just $25. He’s investing in the future, but ultimately how much is Roseman giving up in the present to do so?

Getting an additional first-round pick next year and a future second-round pick will give him the freedom to attack the QB position head-on in 2023.