With the NFL Draft just around the corner, teams are already making moves.  

On Monday the Philadelphia Eagles and New Orleans Saints swapped draft picks. In the reported deal, the Saints have acquired the Eagles two first-round player pick no. 16 and pick no. 19 as well as a sixth-round selection, pick no. 194. 

On the flipside, the Saints are sending the Eagles their first-round selection pick no. 18 this draft, a 2023 first-round pick, a third-round pick from this year’s draft, no. 101, and a seventh-round pick no. 237. 

New Orleans adds two draft picks for the price of one and are hoping that pick lands somewhere late in the 2023 draft. The number of draft picks exchanged in this deal may be eye popping, but it makes too much sense for both teams. 

The 2023 draft pick received by the Eagles could potentially be used to select a quarterback, depending on how current starter Jalen Hurts does this upcoming season. If he flops, that pick will most likely be used to take a signal-caller in next year’s draft. In addition, those draft picks help the team avoid allocating guaranteed money and will give them the ability to spread those cap hits over the next few drafts while also getting draft picks in upcoming drafts.     

For the Saints, the additional picks allow them to draft young talent in hopes to become Super Bowl contenders again in the post-Drew Brees era. 

Trades are very fun to talk about and speculate. It will be interesting to see what these teams will do with their newly acquired draft picks.