Eagles Trade For D’Andre Swift

On Saturday, April 27, 2023, Howie Roseman, the Philadelphia Eagles general manager, made a deal to acquire running back D’Andre Swift. The current Philadelphia Eagles HQ is located not far from where the former Detroit Lion played high school football.

On Saturday, the general manager for the Philadelphia Eagles informed ESPN that the team did not go into the three-day 2023 NFL Draft with the position of running back as a priority. However, as the fourth round progressed on Saturday, he acquired D’Andre Swift in a massive trade with the Detroit Lions.

“We didn’t go in the draft feeling like this is a position we had to have, but we felt like this player was somebody who could really add to our culture and add to our team,” Roseman said.

Roseman claimed to have seen Swift blossom into one of the country’s top runners during his high school years at St. Joseph’s Prep, which is only a short drive from the Eagles’ South Philadelphia facility.

He attended the University of Georgia after graduating from the Prep (as it is called in Philadelphia) and was selected by the Lions in the 2020 NFL Draft in the second round with the 35th overall selection.

“A lot of credit to Brad Holmes, the GM of the Lions, working through this with us and finding a solution there that we could both live with,” said Roseman. “A Philly kid, St. Joe’s Prep, a kid that we know playing in high school, obviously followed him in college, tremendous player, tremendous person, excited to get him to Philly.”

Roseman traded choice No. 219 in this year’s seventh round to the Detroit Lions for their fourth-round selection in 2025. The Eagles received the Lions’ seventh-round draft pick this year (No. 249) in exchange for Swift.

Swift has dealt with injuries during his three NFL seasons, but he is comparable to Rashaad Penny, who the Eagles signed as a free agent this year to bolster their backfield. Penny is no stranger to injury, either.

Penny agreed to a one-year “prove-it” contract.

With only one year remaining on his rookie contract, Swift must find a way to maintain his effective on-field presence. Against the Eagles in last year’s season-opener, he had a career-high 144 yards and a touchdown.

In three years, he caught 156 passes for 1,198 yards and seven touchdowns, making him a very competent receiver.