General manager Howie Roseman has a reputation for being very aggressive in making trades during the NFL draft for the Philadelphia Eagles and they might make a bold move during the first round of the 2024 NFL Draft.
In the past, Roseman they got All-Pro wide receiver A.J. Brown in a 2022 trade with the Tennessee Titans, and in 2023, they picked up running back D’Andre Swift in a 2023 deal with the Detroit Lions.
. This year, there's talk that Roseman wants to move up in the draft to get one of the best cornerbacks, and that's exactly what NFL analyst Jordan Reid thinks will happen in his latest mock draft on ESPN.
Reid suggests the Eagles could move up with the Denver Broncos, all the way to pick No. 12, to select Alabama cornerback Terrion Arnold.
In Reid’s idea, the Eagles would give up pick No. 22, pick No. 50, and pick No. 161 (a fifth-round pick, from the Tampa Bay Buccaneers).
. According to Reid, he's heard that the Eagles want to trade up in the first or second round to get a cornerback or an offensive tackle, and he thinks Denver might be willing to move down, get more picks, and still get a quarterback. Reid writes for ESPN. “It sounds like the Eagles want to trade up in Round 1 or Round 2 to target either a cornerback or an offensive tackle. And Denver might decide it can move down, add more picks and still get a quarterback.”
The Eagles might find this trade idea appealing because they wouldn't have to give up a first-round pick in 2025 and they believe Arnold has the potential to become a good starting cornerback in the NFL.
Terrion Arnold would add depth to the Eagles' defense, especially if James Bradberry struggles again like he did in 2023.
James Bradberry’s contract makes him an important part of the Eagles’ defense, but Arnold could be a good backup to have if Bradberry doesn't play well.
Reid writes for ESPN. He says, “The Eagles are good at planning for future needs and getting what they need before it becomes urgent. They haven't picked a cornerback in the first round since 2002, but after their defense struggled a lot in the second half of last season, they might change that now.
“Darius Slay and James Bradberry are supposed to start, but they will be 33 and 31 years old next season. Arnold is very good at moving, playing different positions, and catching the ball; he got five interceptions last season.”
Arnold is six feet tall and weighs 196 pounds, and in 2023, he made 63 total tackles, faced some of the best wide receivers, and got five interceptions, 12 pass breakups, and made a fumble during his great second year.
“According to an NFC Regional Scout who talked to NFL.com, Kool-Aid (McKinstry) is more dependable than Arnold, but Arnold might be better at covering receivers.” Given how Eagles defensive coordinator Vic Fangio expects a lot from cornerbacks, Arnold could be a good long-term solution for the team's question marks going into the 2024 season.Arnold is good at covering different players,
The Bleacher Report said about Arnold.
. “Displaying the skill to play from press and off coverage. When in press, he demonstrates patience at the line of scrimmage and effectively uses his hands to control receivers, along with nimble footwork and lateral movement to quickly position himself near receivers' hip pocket. “He possesses flexible hips to change direction and run, along with the capability to lower his hips and accelerate out of turns. In off coverage, he occasionally maintains a high pad level, resulting in slower transitions.”Find out how Eagles GM Howie Roseman has executed strategic draft day trades in recent years. Will he follow the same approach in the 2024 NFL Draft?
“He has fluid hips to flip and run, combined with the ability to sink his hips and drive out of breaks. When in off coverage, he plays with high pad level at times leading to slower transitions.”
