The Philadelphia Eagles made a statement with their wide receiver room after the stunning trade of Dontayvion Wicks from the Green Bay Packers, as Philly sent over two draft picks.
Wicks also got a one-year, $12 million contract extension from the Eagles, making it clear that, one, A.J. Brown is as good as gone and should be traded soon, and two, the team most likely doesn't go wide receiver in the first round. USA Today's Michael Middlehurst-Schwartz shared his new NFL mock draft, in which he has the Eagles selecting Arizona State offensive tackle Max Iheanachor with the 23rd overall pick because of the Wicks trade.
"Now equipped with something of an insurance policy at receiver thanks to the Dontayvion Wicks trade, Philadelphia can continue staving off the A.J. Brown trade drama until the early summer, when a deal becomes more palatable. Lane Johnson would make a fine mentor to Iheanachor, a former basketball standout who could become an outright force up front if he continues along his impressive growth trajectory."
Eagles go offensive line after Dontayvion Wicks trade
Iheanachor makes complete sense at the 23rd overall pick as Eagles general manager Howie Roseman loves his offensive and defensive linemen in drafts. Last season with the Sun Devils, Iheanachor was a second-team All-Big 12 selection after allowing 14 pressures, three quarterback hits, and zero sacks in 484 pass-blocking snaps.
There is still a strong chance the Eagles could select a wide receiver in the NFL Draft, but Wicks gives the team some breathing room when they need to get it done. They could wait until Day 3 to get it done, since they have other positions to address, like edge rusher and safety.
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This is an important draft for the Eagles to hit on their picks, and Wicks' arrival just eases everyone's anxiety on it, as Iheanachor would give them the successor to Lane Johnson at right tackle.