Normally, this would be the day for NFL teams to cut players and not add more. But when opportunity knocks to add a starting caliber player, the Philadelphia Eagles were all on it and got themselves a dynamic safety.
According to NFL Network’s Ian Rapoport and Tom Pelissero, the New Orleans Saints traded safety Chauncey Gardner-Johnson to the Eagles. ESPN’s Adam Schefter elaborated on the deal, noting that the Eagles are getting Gardner-Johnson and the Saints’ seventh round pick in 2025 while the Saints are getting the Eagles’ fifth round pick in 2023 and the worse of their two sixth round picks in 2024.
Shocker: The #Saints are trading DB Chauncey Gardner-Johnson to the #Eagles, sources tell me and @TomPelissero. After extension talks broke down, the focus shifted from keeping Gardner-Johnson to trading him. Philly lands a starter. pic.twitter.com/k6bxvziA84
— Ian Rapoport (@RapSheet) August 30, 2022
Given the Saints’ situation, they’re not losing out on much by trading away Gardner-Johnson. Gardner-Johnson was in the final year of his rookie contract and wanted a new contract, but given the Saints’ secondary depth, that probably wasn’t happening. So if Gardner-Johnson wasn’t going to factor in the Saints’ plans, you may as well get something for him in a trade.
For the Eagles, they’re getting a starting defender without really giving up much. You would think the Eagles made this trade with the understanding they’re going to re-sign Gardner-Johnson but that remains to be seen.
All in all, it’s a crafty bit of business as the start of the NFL regular season gets closer and closer.
