Eagles Trade Jordan Matthews, Third-Round Pick, For Bills’ Ronald Darby

While the NFC East was busy being rocked by the NFL’s announcement of the suspension of Dallas Cowboys’ running back Ezekiel Elliott, the Philadelphia Eagles were quietly executing a trade with the Buffalo Bills.

The Bills announced a flurry of moves Friday afternoon. The headliner was their trade of wide receiver Sammy Watkins to the Los Angeles Rams, but they also announced that they traded cornerback Ronald Darby to the Eagles in exchange for receiver Jordan Matthews and the Eagles’ third-round pick in the 2018 draft.

From the Giants’ perspective, the trade removes Matthews, who was the Eagles’ most reliable receiver and a threat out of the slot. He will likely be replaced by Nelson Agholor, a third year receiver out of USC. Agholor hasn’t done much in his first two years to inspire confidence, but that the Eagles’ coaches obviously have that in him if they are moving Matthews.

It will also add Ronald Darby to what was a shaky Philadelphia secondary. Darby is a talented and athletic man-coverage corner who should help the Eagles’ defense adapt to the the Giants’ additional offensive weapons.

Of course, we’ll just have to wait and see how it all works out, but it has been one busy Friday, and the Giants haven’t even gotten to play yet.