There is perhaps no better trade-maker in the NFL than Philadelphia Eagles GM Howie Roseman. The longtime evaluator tends to find value in the most creative ways, especially when the rest of the league is focused on different areas of attack.
Roseman has been particularly active with deals during the NFL draft and prior to final cuts during the preseason. During the latter moves, Roseman tends to focus more on player-for-player deals. On Monday, Roseman put out his latest shrewd swap, sending former second-round pick J.J. Arcega-Whiteside to the Seattle Seahawks for defensive back Ugo Amadi, a league source confirmed to Pro Football Network.
Eagles trade J.J. Arcega-Whiteside to Seahawks for Ugo Amadi
After three-plus years, the Eagles finally decided to pull the plug on the Arcega-Whiteside experiment. The former second-round pick had fallen off the wideout depth chart and been moved to tight end this offseason. However, Arcega-Whiteside failed to make the most of the move, and the Eagles shipped him off to add a promising young defensive back in Amadi.
Let’s grade the trade.
Seahawks acquire J.J. Arcega-Whiteside
The Seahawks seem to prefer bigger targets on offense. They already have DK Metcalf and Noah Fant, and now Arcega-Whiteside can serve as a hybrid player at both tight end and wideout. He also showed some promise on special teams last year as well.
The trade for the Seahawks, though, is a bit puzzling, as Amadi was a central figure in the Seahawks’ defense over the past two seasons. Sure, they signed Justin Coleman to return to the lineup, but Amadi, at just 25, is still cheap and has plenty of upside.
However, like Arcega-Whiteside, Amadi is entering the final year of his rookie deal, and Coleman likely made him expendable in the Seahawks’ roster evaluations.
It’ll be interesting to see how the Seahawks use Arcega-Whiteside, as he has only caught 16 passes for 260 yards and a touchdown through three seasons before adding weight this offseason to play tight end.
GRADE: C-
Eagles acquire Ugo Amadi
“That’s kinda crazy,” a rival NFL personnel exec told Pro Football Network after being informed of the trade. When asked why it was crazy, the exec responded, “[Amadi] has been Seattle’s starting nickel the past two years, he can play safety, too, and is good on special teams.”
That’s quite the review for a player who was swapped for one of Philadelphia’s most notable draft busts in recent years. The Oregon alum has appeared in 47 games (12 starts) and produced 125 tackles, 12 pass breakups, an interception, and two forced fumbles during his three-year career. His versatility in the secondary, at 5-9 and 201 pounds, could help the Eagles from a numbers standpoint in the defensive backfield.
Amadi could be used as the backup nickel corner behind Avonte Maddox and as a backup free safety behind Marcus Epps. The Eagles could also use Amadi as a gunner on special teams.
Roseman getting something in return for Arcega-Whiteside has to be considered a major win. According to a league source, the Eagles had been shopping Arcega-Whiteside for a bit and pulled him from practice on Sunday when a deal became possible. This is a win for Philly, and honestly, for Arcega-Whiteside, who needed a change of scenery.
GRADE: A-