The Atlanta Falcons made a move that puzzled many during the first round of the 2025 NFL draft. After taking linebacker Jalon Walker with the No. 15 pick, the Falcons traded back into the first round to select edge rusher James Pearce Jr.
Trading back into the first round to draft a player a team is high on is not a bad idea in of itself, especially since edge rusher is a position of need for the Falcons. What made the Falcons' decision to draft Pearce questionable was the amount of draft capital they gave up to get back into the first down.
The Falcons sent their 2026 first-round pick, a 2025 second-round pick, and 2025 seventh-round pick to the Los Angeles Rams to receive the No. 26 pick, where they drafted Pearce, as well as a 2025 third-round pick.
It was an exorbitant amount for Atlanta to give up, especially since the New York Giants had just traded back into the first round to take quarterback Jaxson Dart without giving up a first-round pick. Just one pick before the Falcons, the Giants returned to the first round and only gave a second-round pick, third-round pick, and 2026 third-round pick to the Houston Texans.
In the wake of what the Falcons sent to the Rams to move up in the draft, cameras captured Philadelphia Eagles general manager Howie Roseman hilariously saying, "I understand why people are taking our deals."
Howie Roseman’s reaction to the Falcons trading their 2026 first-round pick is pretty hilarious.
— Anthony DiBona (@DiBonaNFL) May 3, 2025
(🎥: @Eagles) pic.twitter.com/rpn7oaFUJc
The Eagles did later move up in the first round, but only by one spot. Philadelphia traded up with the Kansas City Chiefs from No. 32 to No. 31 so they could draft linebacker Jihaad Campbell, a "top-10 player" on their draft board that only fell because of injury concerns. In the process, the Eagles only dealt an extra fifth-round pick to the Chiefs.
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This article was originally published on www.si.com as Eagles GM Had Funny Line After Falcons Gave Up First-Round Pick to Trade into Round 1.
