Eagles claw draft picks back with Jalen Reagor trade

The Eagles looked like they were willing to give up a chunk of their future for former Saints defensive back CJ Gardner-Johnson yesterday. Turns out, not so much. Today, in another eyebrow-raising move, Philly sent former first-round draft pick Jalen Reagor to the Minnesota Vikings in exchange for a seventh-round pick next year and a fourth-round pick the year after.

Taken 21st overall out of TCU, Reagor has struggled in the City of Brotherly Love, partly from injury, although he dropped several catches and punts that had no reasonable excuse. With at least 11 games in each of his first two seasons, he has never topped 400 yards and has only three professional touchdowns to his name.

Taken only one pick above Jordan Jefferson, a key figure in LSU’s romp to the national championship the season before, Reagor will now team up with the Viking receiver who has had an altogether different NFL experience: a two-time All-Pro, Jefferson has 196 receptions for 3,016 yards and 17 touchdowns.

For the Eagles, this move offers them some clarity in their receiving corps, after they picked up DeVonta Smith as their number one with supporting roles by A.J. Brown and Quez Watkins, making Reagor an unlikely candidate for much playing time. He survived the 53-man roster cull, but lasted only 24 hours before being dealt away.

For the Vikings, this is a pressureless move to add another potential target to Kirk Cousins’ field of vision. With Justin Jefferson the top target, Adam Thielen and KJ Osborn can tear up a defensive backfield. Jalen Reagor put up big numbers in college at TCU, so if Minnesota can tap into that ability, they could turn a disappointing product into a viable threat.

As for Reagor, with the crushing weight of first-round expectations lifted from his shoulders, he may be able to get his bearings in the NFL and find his feet in Minnesota.