Eagles trade for Jonathan Greenard, pick TE Eli Stowers

Howie Roseman sat on the podium after what he known as an “eventful” day.

The Eagles made two draft picks, however the larger transfer was buying Minnesota edge rusher Jonathan Greenard, who the Eagles signed to a four-year deal price $100 million. 

“There wasn’t a game that we didn’t watch of his, and what you see is a relentless player,” Roseman stated. “We simply felt like we had a very good D-line however we wished to raise it.

Rumors of the Eagles buying and selling for Jonathan Greenard had been circulating, however the deal truly occurred late Friday, and reactions are already beginning to pour in, together with from ESPN’s Seth Walder, who gave Howie Roseman and the Birds an A- for the transfer. He particularly factors to the truth that their getting Greenard for lower than the participant he is successfully changing, Jaelan Phillips …

“It’s fair to say that the Eagles are getting a legitimate top edge rusher and a major upgrade over Jalyx Hunt to pair with Nolan Smith Jr. The trade compensation is real — two third-round picks is nothing to sneeze at — but they are getting Greenard at what I consider a well-below-market price, signing him to a new four-year, $100 million deal. …

“So the Eagles crammed vital want with draft capital, however are getting a price worth on the financials in change. That’s good team-building work.”

They did not draft their Lane Johnson successor on Thursday night time within the first spherical, however with the 68th total pick within the draft, the Eagles chosen a sort out who’s the brand new tallest participant on the staff.

The Eagles used their lone remaining third-round pick on Miami sort out Markel Bell, a 6-foot-9, 346-pound prospect who has distinctive dimension and an enormous wingspan.

Bell, 21, didn’t enable a sack as a senior on a staff that went to the nationwide title recreation.

The Eagles are strengthening their edge rusher corps by way of a draft-day trade, buying veteran exterior linebacker Jonathan Greenard from the Minnesota Vikings, the staff introduced on Friday.

In change for Greenard and a 2026 seventh-rounder (No. 244 total), the Eagles are sending their third-round, No. 98 total choice and a 2027 third-rounder to the Vikings.

Additionally, the Eagles are signing Greenard to a four-year extension, protecting him below contract via 2031, in keeping with ESPN. The new contract is reportedly price $100 million and contains $50 million assured.

The Athletic’s Dane Brugler said “Stowers will need to prove himself as a serviceable blocker at the NFL level, but he is explosive as a pass catcher, and I love the way he maximizes his catch radius. He has mismatch-creating potential and can eventually develop into an NFL starter.”

The Ringer’s Todd McShay noted that Stowers “recorded a high rate of chunk plays (30.6 percent of catches going for 15-plus yards), was efficient (2.43 yards per route run), was solid after the catch (5.9 yards per reception), and flashed a good tackle-breaking ability (nine forced missed tackles) last season.”

Stowers ran a 4.51 40-yard sprint on the mix, had a 45½-inch vertical leap and an 11-foot, 3-inch broad bounce. Those are elite numbers for tight ends, and whereas Stowers nonetheless has some sharpening to do, his profile is intriguing.

The Eagles took a good finish who was named the highest tight finish within the nation with their second pick within the draft.

The Eagles stayed at pick No. 54 and drafted Vanderbilt’s Eli Stowers, a first-team All-American who had 62 receptions for 769 yards and 4 touchdowns with the Commodores.

The 6-foot-4, 239-pound native of Texas is a former quarterback who has performed tight finish for simply three seasons.

The newest Trotter linebacker from the world is coming into the NFL.

Josiah Trotter, a St. Joseph’s prep alum who was a standout at Missouri in 2025, was chosen by the Tampa Bay Buccaneers forty sixth total within the second spherical.

Trotter, the brother of present Eagles linebacker Jeremiah Trotter Jr. and the son of Eagles legend Jeremiah Trotter Sr., completed with 84 tackles (13 for loss), two sacks, and one move breakup in 12 video games final season. He transferred in from West Virginia, the place he spent two seasons, the primary of which spent recovering from a knee harm. Josiah performs very equally to his father, as a throwback linebacker who can shed blocks and get after the quarterback as a blitzer.

An NFC East edge rusher may very well be on the transfer –– and shortly. According to Fox Sports’ Jordan Schultz, the Giants have engaged in trade talks involving defensive finish Kayvon Thibodeaux.

This comes lower than in the future after the staff chosen Arvell Reese with the No. 5 pick within the 2026 NFL Draft.

The Giants even have Brian Burns and Abdul Carter at edge rusher.

Eagles first-round pick Makai Lemon ascended to the very best vast receiver in school soccer through the 2025 season, profitable the Biletnikoff Award, which is given to the sport’s prime wideout.

He completed the season with 79 catches, 1,156 yards, and 11 touchdowns for USC, attracting the eye of NFL scouts, together with Eagles senior personnel director Joe Douglas, in keeping with USC inside vast receivers coach Chad Savage.

“A lot of teams did their homework. [The coaching staff] had talked to a lot of scouts. Joe Douglas, who’s with the Eagles, he was actually on campus because we were recruiting his son, who’s a tight end,” Savage recalled. “So that was pretty funny, because he texted me last night saying, ‘Makai Lemon’s an Eagle.’ So that was pretty sweet.”

Makai Lemon’s arrival could coincide with A.J. Brown’s departure, which suggests he is more likely to be on the sector usually with DeVonta Smith.

Smith is 6-feet tall, and Lemon is 5-11. That’s two undersized receivers, however they’ve completely different talent units.

“I feel like we complement each other well,” Lemon stated of his new teammate. “He can do some little bit of every little thing.

Much has been made in regards to the late trade the Eagles made to steal Makai Lemon from the Steelers. On Friday, Lemon was launched to launched to the media in Philadelphia, and known as it “a shocker.”

“It was a shocker really, getting the call and then having the Eagles call me at the same time,” Lemon stated. “But I feel like it was just all a blessing. I landed where I needed to be. I couldn’t ask for a better team, to be here. I’m super excited.”

And the person who shall be throwing him passes subsequent season has already reached out.

Chad Savage and new Eagles vast receiver Makai Lemon solely spent one season collectively at USC, however their relationship rapidly grew — the within vast receivers coach was within the inexperienced room of the NFL draft with Lemon and his household.

Savage, who beforehand coached at Colorado State for three years earlier than becoming a member of the USC teaching workers in 2025, stated he flew into Pittsburgh within the early hours of Thursday morning. He stayed via Lemon getting drafted to the Eagles and left Friday morning, however known as spending the second with Lemon and his household “surreal.”

“Just seeing the mixed emotions with Makai and his family. I mean, there’s so many different emotions, it’s really hard to describe,” Savage informed The Inquirer by telephone on Friday. “And then additionally simply a number of the prime names in school soccer. You received Ryan Day, you bought Marcus Freeman, you bought Kenny Dillingham, you bought Mario Cristobal, and you bought so many well-known gamers that had been actually the discuss of school soccer this yr.

One of the Eagles’ most pressing needs entering Day 2 is at safety. Reed Blankenship went to the Texans in free agency and Sydney Brown was shipped to the Falcons, so they’re thin at the position.

Should they trade up and snag the best available one on Friday?

Emmanuel McNeil-Warren did not hear his name called Thursday night. This was a surprise given the sizy, rangy safety’s body of work at Toledo. The Inquirer spoke with McNeil-Warren’s former defensive coordinator, Vince Kehres, on Friday and he gushed about how he’d fit in Vic Fangio’s defense.

Let’s simply say Pittsburgh followers are feeling a sure sort of means.

They already witnessed their Penguins fall into an 0-3 gap vs. the upstart Flyers, which led to a chant on the draft that included a phrase we will’t publish right here. And that was earlier than the Eagles stole Makai Lemon out from underneath them.

Philadelphia followers – as they do greatest – fought again, and appeared to rub some salt in Pittsburgh’s wound.

PITTSBURGH — Makai Lemon flashed a giant smile, sitting on the podium inside Acrisure Stadium when he was requested a few former Eagles participant with California roots whom he appeared as much as as a child.

DeSean Jackson, a Los Angeles native, was one in all Lemon’s favourite receivers rising up. Now Lemon, the Los Alamitos native, which is simply south of Los Angeles, will don an Eagles jersey himself.

“That’s truly a blessing. To know what he has done for the organization, I just hope [I can] follow in his footsteps, [with] what he did on the field,” Lemon stated. “He was a baller. … [I’m] grateful to be in a position that I’m at right now.”

Here are eight prospects who may handle their short- and long-term wants. Players with asterisks reportedly had some sort of pre-draft visit with the Eagles:

S Emmanuel McNeil-Warren, Toledo

Could McNeil-Warren be part of Quinyon Mitchell as one more Eagles defensive again out of Toledo? McNeil-Warren is a singular security prospect given his dimension at 6-foot-4, 201 kilos. He could also be mild, however he performs arduous, particularly towards the run. In 4 seasons at Toledo, three as a starter, McNeil-Warren generated 9 pressured fumbles. He was a playmaker in protection, too, snaring six profession interceptions. If the Eagles are all in favour of drafting him, although, they might want to maneuver up from No. 54.

The annoying world of streaming will come to a head for Philly sports activities followers tonight, with three occasions scattered throughout the digital world.

Day 2 of the NFL draft shall be most accessible, airing on ABC, ESPN, and the NFL Network starting at 7 p.m. tonight. But you will want no less than two separate screens to maintain up with the remainder of the motion throughout city.

Game 3 of the 76ers first-round playoff collection towards the Boston Celtics additionally begins at 7 p.m. tonight, however the recreation is not airing on TV – it is streaming solely on Amazon’s Prime Video and will not air on NBC Sports Philadelphia.

Most of the Eagles’ speedy wants are on protection. The staff has a emptiness on the beginning security spot alongside Drew Mukuba, which Reed Blankenship created when he signed with the Houston Texans in free company.

The staff may additionally use contributors among the many edge rusher corps. Jaelan Phillips signed with the Carolina Panthers in the beginning of the brand new league yr, leaving Nolan Smith and Jalyx Hunt as the highest tandem within the room. The staff signed a number of low-cost free brokers this offseason, together with Arnold Ebiketie, however Howie Roseman may stand so as to add to the group.

The Eagles’ long-term wants are totally on offense. Dallas Goedert, 31, is returning to the staff on a one-year deal for his ninth season. But past 2026, the Eagles are in want of a potential TE1.

Makai Lemon’s telephone rang. The USC vast receiver was in Pittsburgh attending the draft, and for a second he was house. It was the Steelers on the road.

But the telephone rang once more.

“It was the Eagles,” Lemon stated.

Two issues could be true directly. Case in level: the Eagles drafted Makai Lemon as a result of they noticed worth in buying and selling up for the Southern Cal vast receiver and since they want a substitute for the likely-departing A.J. Brown.

But want on the place was by no means more likely to affect how Eagles common supervisor Howie Roseman approached the primary spherical of the NFL draft. If that had been the case, he would have pressured a sort out to be Lane Johnson’s inheritor obvious, or uncharacteristically taken a security to fill their most blatant want.

No, transferring up three spots from No. 23 to twenty was, at the start, about Lemon dropping when the Eagles ranked him amongst their prime prospects. It might need additionally been in regards to the items not falling precisely the best way that they had projected, notably on the sort out spot, the place that they had centered a lot of their pre-draft efforts.