D’Andre Swift trade grades: Eagles land another Dawg in Lions trade

D’Andre Swift was traded to the Philadelphia Eagles after the Detroit Lions drafted Jahmyr Gibbs and we’re grading the trade for both teams. 

The Philadelphia Eagles have been a big winner in the 2023 NFL Draft with a shockingly simple strategy: Draft players from the 2021 Georgia Bulldogs defense, perhaps the greatest defense that college football has ever seen.

Now Howie Roseman is getting some Dawgs for the offense too.

After the Detroit Lions selected running back Jahmyr Gibbs No. 12 overall in the wake of signing David Montgomery in free agency, a D’Andre Swift trade appeared inevitable. The Eagles swooped in and took advantage of that as, per NFL insider Ian Rapoport, they traded for Swift early on Day 3 of the draft.

But what does the D’Andre Swift trade look like and how did each team fare in this deal? Let’s grade it for both the Eagles and Lions.

D’Andre Swift trade details: Eagles get Lions RB for next to nothing

Here’s a look at the full details of the trade, per ESPN’s Adam Schefter.

In essence, the Lions are trading Swift for a seventh-round pick swap in this year’s draft and a fourth-round pick two years from now. Not much for the Eagles to give up for their potential RB1.

D’Andre Swift trade grades: Eagles keep winning draft weekend

The rich are getting filthy rich this weekend when you look at the Eagles. There was reason to believe that, even after losing Miles Sanders this offseason in free agency, Philadelphia seemed happy with the RB room of newcomer Rashaad Penny, Kenneth Gainwell and Boston Scott. But D’Andre Swift changes the calculus.

Even though the Lions didn’t want him, the former 2020 second-rounder averaged 5.5 yards per carry last season (4.6 for his career) in addition to catching at least 45 passes in each of his first three seasons for 7.7 yards per reception. Now he’s coming to a dynamic offense to still be playing behind one of the best lines in the league.

For the Eagles to only give up a future Day 3 pick and a seventh-round pick swap, that’s elite dealing by Roseman and the front office in Philly.

Eagles Grade: A+

D’Andre Swift trade grades: Lions backed themselves into a corner

For reasons that remain unclear to me, Detroit was simply never sold on Swift as being a viable No. 1 running back option. That’s why they signed Jamaal Williams, then signed Montgomery and now drafted Gibbs in the first round.

But by taking Gibbs after this offseason, they put themselves in an awful spot to move Swift. Trying to trade the running back prior to draft weekend if this was in the plan would’ve been a far smarter move for the Lions. Instead, they are moving up 30 picks in the seventh-round and will get to make a pick on Day 3 in two years. That’s far from a win and, though they had to get something, the timing of their plan limited the value that they could acquire.

Lions Grade: C