The draft pick the Eagles traded for Genard Avery was higher than expected

When the Philadelphia Eagles announced their trade for Cleveland Browns pass rusher Genard Avery, they listed the compensation as “an undisclosed draft pick in 2021.” That pick has now been disclosed.

A fourth-round pick is ... more than what I think nearly everyone would’ve expected Avery to cost.

The fact that the exact pick wasn’t disclosed upfront is curious. That kind of information is usually available upon the time of trade announcements, not hours afterwards. And in the cases where the pick information isn’t revealed, it could be a team trying to “hide” the fact it’s lower compensation than people would like to see. You know, like how when an NFL player signs a contract and the details aren’t available right away? That’s typically a sign the contract isn’t so impressive, as opposed to when an NFL insider immediately shares all the gaudy details of more lucrative signings.

Perhaps the Eagles thought people would react to the trade more negatively if the exact pick was revealed at the time of the deal. So, instead they chose to leak it out with a message about how much they loved him in the 2018 NFL Draft.

But even putting that all aside, I’m just really curious about what these negotiations looked like. Avery is a 2018 fifth-round pick with 4.5 career sacks who has often been a healthy scratch this year. How did his price tag go up a round? Howie Roseman’s usually pretty good when it comes to getting value so this is a head-scratcher.

Like, what leverage did the Browns have over Roseman here? The Eagles didn’t appear outwardly desperate for an edge rusher. They already had six on the roster! And if they didn’t feel very good about the position, then why were they keeping six ends on the team? Roseman must’ve been calling Cleveland general manager John Dorsey over and over about Avery, which probably isn’t the best negotiating tactic. It feels like Avery should’ve been the type of player a team is looking to sell low on since the coaching staff clearly didn’t trust him to play over other players.

Look, I don’t think it’s impossible that Avery could be worth the pick the Eagles gave up. He’s 24 years old. He’s athletic. He’s shown potential. He’s on a cheap contract through 2021. He’s a player at a premium position.

Maybe Avery carves out a nice role in the Eagles’ pass rush rotation.

Or maybe the Eagles realize why the Browns were keeping him inactive as Roseman throws away another draft pick.

EAGLES 2020 NFL DRAFT PICKS

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EAGLES 2021 NFL DRAFT PICKS

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