What did the Philadelphia Eagles get back for the Carson Wentz trade?
PHILADELPHIA (CBS) -- Three years after the Philadelphia Eagles traded quarterback Carson Wentz to the Indianapolis Colts, the trade haul is now complete after the 2024 NFL draft.
So what did the Eagles get for their former franchise quarterback? Let's break it down and revisit the initial trade.
What did the Eagles get for Carson Wentz?
The Eagles traded Wentz to the Colts after a 4-11-1 season in 2020 for a 2021-third-round pick and a conditional 2022 second-rounder. The 2022 conditional second-round pick became a first-rounder after Wentz played over 75% of the snaps in 2021.
So, the Eagles got an extremely valuable asset after the conditional pick converted into a first-rounder.
Drafting DeVonta Smith
Months after acquiring the 2021 third-round pick from Indy, the Eagles used the pick in a trade with the Dallas Cowboys to leap-frog the New York Giants and select University of Alabama wideout DeVonta Smith with the 10th overall pick in the 2021 NFL draft.
The Eagles sent the third-rounder (No. 84 overall) and No. 12 overall to the Cowboys for the 10th overall pick to draft Smith.
The Eagles acquired that No. 12 pick in a deal with the Miami Dolphins. In that trade before the 2021 NFL draft, the Eagles sent the No. 6 overall pick and a fifth-round pick to the Dolphins for the No. 12 in the 2021 draft, a 2021 fourth-round pick and a 2022 first-round pick.
The Birds recently locked up Smith, who has formed one of the best wide receiver tandems in the league with A.J. Brown, to a three-year contract extension that keeps him in Philly through the 2028 season.
A.J. Brown trade
With Wentz playing at least 75% of the snaps in 2021, the 2022 conditional second-round pick became a first-rounder - No. 16 overall - for the 2022 NFL draft. That gave the Eagles three first-round picks entering the 2022 offseason - No. 15 overall from the Dolphins, No. 16 from the Colts and their own at No. 19.
Weeks before the draft, the Eagles made a blockbuster deal with the Saints to push one of their first-rounders from 2022 to 2023.
Here are the trade details:
Eagles received a 2022 first-round pick (No. 18 overall), a 2022 third-round pick (No. 101 overall), a 2022 seventh-round pick No. 237 overall), a 2023-first-round pick and a 2024 second-round pick.
Saints received a 2022 first-round pick (No. 16 overall pick from Colts), a 2022 first-round pick (Eagles' first-round pick at No. 19 overall), and a 2022 sixth-round pick (No. 194 overall).
So entering the 2022 NFL draft, the Birds had two picks - No. 15 and No. 18. They used the 16th pick from the Colts as one of the key pieces in the trade with the Saints to nab a first-rounder in the 2023 NFL draft and a second-rounder in the 2024 NFL draft.
In the first round of the 2022 NFL draft, general manager Howie Roseman flipped the No. 18 overall pick and the 2022 third-round pick (No. 101 overall) to acquire Tennessee Titans wideout A.J. Brown.
The Eagles then gave Brown a contract extension on draft night and recently gave him another extension. The deal to acquire Brown changed the whole complexion of Philadelphia's offense and helped Jalen Hurts develop into one of the top starting quarterbacks in the NFL.
In Brown's first season in Philly, the Birds won the NFC and went to the Super Bowl. He's had the best seasons of his career since landing in Philadelphia and has been one of the best wide receivers in the NFL since the 2022 season.
Drafting Kyron Johnson
The Eagles flipped part of their pick haul from the Saints to trade up in the sixth round of the 2022 NFL draft and select University of Kansas linebacker Kyron Johnson.
The Birds got a 2022 sixth-round pick (No. 181 overall) from the Detroit Lions in exchange for a sixth-round pick (No. 188 overall) and a seventh-round pick (No. 237 overall) in 2022.
The Eagles took Johnson in the sixth round after that trade. Johnson was waived by the Eagles before the 2023 season and played in 16 games in 2022.
How the Saints' pick helped the Birds land Jalen Carter
The 2023 first-round pick the Birds acquired from the Saints before the 2022 NFL draft turned into No. 10 overall.
Roseman then used that pick to trade up to No. 9 overall with the Chicago Bears and select University of Georgia defensive tackle Jalen Carter, who was arguably the best non-quarterback prospect in the draft. Philly also sent the Bears a 2024 fourth-round pick.
Carter slid in the draft due to his involvement in a fatal crash that killed his college teammate Devin Willock and team staffer Chandler LeCroy in January 2022.
Carter finished as the runner-up for the Associated Press Defensive Rookie of the Year Award and finished the year with six sacks.
Trading up for Cooper DeJean
Remember the 2024 second-round pick the Eagles got in the deal with the Saints before the 2022 NFL draft? Well, last week, the Birds used that pick (No. 50 overall) as part of a package to trade up with the Washington Commanders to select University of Iowa defensive back Cooper DeJean.
The Eagles sent No. 50 overall, No. 53 overall and No. 161 overall to the Commanders for the 40th pick to select DeJean and acquire No. 78 overall and No. 152 overall.
DeJean was rated as one of the best defensive back prospects in the 2024 NFL draft by CBS Sports and will be a chess piece in Vic Fangio's defense due to his versatility and ability to play cornerback and safety.
Key players the Eagles acquired from the Wentz deal
In the end, the assets acquired from trading Carson Wentz to the Colts in 2021 led to the Eagles getting the following players:
- DeVonta Smith
- A.J. Brown
- Jalen Carter
- Cooper DeJean
Roseman and the Eagles were able to turn the picks acquired in the Wentz deal into two of the best receivers in the league in Smith and Brown, and two of the top draft prospects at their respective positions in the NFL draft in Carter and DeJean.
Since the deal, Wentz has struggled and is now on his third team since the Colts. He signed with the Kansas City Chiefs this offseason to be Patrick Mahomes' backup.
