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Everybody and their mother is seemingly looking to trade down in the 2025 NFL Draft. This draft class lacks some when it comes to top-end talent, but there is tons of depth, which is why Adam Schefter reports that the Jacksonville Jaguars (N0. 5), Carolina Panthers (No. 8), San Francisco 49ers (No. 11), Atlanta Falcons (No. 15), Seattle Seahawks (No. 18), Tampa Bay Buccaneers (No. 19), Pittsburgh Steelers (No. 21), and Minnesota Vikings (No. 24) are all pursuing trades that would move them out of their draft slot and, in turn, would allow them to add more draft capital. This is perfect for the Philadelphia Eagles because they are one team that should consider trading up on draft day.
After winning Super Bowl 59, the Eagles were stuck with the last pick (No. 32) in the first round. They had one of the worst offseasons in the league because they lost a lot of talent in free agency, so the draft will play an important role in replenishing the roster for a championship defense. So, is there a trade-up deal that makes sense for the Eagles?
Eagles trade proposal for No. 19 pick
Eagles receive: Pick No. 19
Buccaneers receive: Pick No. 32, Pick No. 161, Pick. No. 168
While the Eagles have plenty of positional needs after losing Josh Sweat, Darius Slay, Kenneth Gainwell, James Bradberry, Mekhi Becton, Isaiah Rodgers, Milton Williams, and C.J. Gardner-Johnson in the offseason, one of their top priorities should be replacing the safety that they traded to the Houston Texans.
Gardner-Johnson was moved in a questionable deal for Kenyon Green, a former first-round lineman who has looked like a massive draft bust so far in his career. Gardner-Johnson played a big role in the Eagles making it to Super Bowl 57 before he joined the Detroit Lions for a year. Upon his return to Philadelphia, the Eagles won Super Bowl 59. The team's decision to part ways with him is more perplexing when considering that they let Slay and Bradberry – fellow secondary players – walk in free agency.
The Eagles struggled in 2023-24 without an elite secondary before they made major moves at cornerback and safety. The decisions to bring back Gardner-Johnson and draft Quinyon Mitchell and Cooper DeJean early in the 2024 NFL Draft led to a lot of Philadelphia's success. The secondary that was so deep last season is underwhelming at this point.
Unfortunately, there isn't a lot of safety talent in this draft class, so the Eagles might have to trade up to get a Gardner-Johnson replacement. Nick Emmanwori will likely be the first or second safety selected this year, but he will likely go off the board in the late teens or early 20s of the first round.
Emmonwori was the standout performer of the NFL Scouting Combine. The South Carolina product recorded the best numbers in the entire combine in the vertical jump (43 inches), 10-yard split (1.49 seconds), and broad jump (11'6”), and his 4.38 40-yard dash time was the second best for his position group.
The physical freak shot up draft boards after the Scouting Combine, so he might be out of reach when the Eagles select at 32. He'd be a perfect fit for the Eagles' roster and would fill one of their biggest holes. The team shouldn't have to trade up too far to get him, either.
Why the Buccaneers might trade down
Jason Licht, the general manager of the Buccaneers, shut down reports that the team is actively pursuing a trade down. However, anything said in the days leading up to the draft can be looked at as a smoke screen, and a trade down does make some sense for the organization.
The Buccaneers have a deep roster, but they didn't make many notable moves in free agency. Even with the improvements that Baker Mayfield has shown since joining the team, they might still be a couple of pieces away from truly contending for Super Bowls. The 2025 NFL Draft class is stacked with receivers, running backs, offensive linemen, pass rushers, and cornerbacks, but there isn't as much star power at the top of the draft as usual.
Tampa Bay would be smart to trade their 19th pick for even more draft capital in the hopes that they can add multiple impact players in this draft. As of now, the Buccaneers only have six draft picks. By trading down from pick 19 to pick 32, the Buccaneers not only maintain a first-round pick and the coveted fifth-year option that comes with it, but they add two additional fifth-rounders.
Tampa Bay has done well finding late-round gems in recent years. The team added Bucky Irving in the fourth round just last year, and he already looks like one of the best running backs in the NFL. It is possible that whatever player the Buccaneers want at 19 would still be there at 32, and by doing this trade, they'd add two extra picks just for doing business.
