Philadelphia Eagles general manager Howie Roseman cracked a joke the moment he heard what the Atlanta Falcons sacrificed to jump back into the first round of the 2025 NFL Draft. His quick-witted reaction, caught on the Eagles’ behind-the-scenes draft room video, quickly went viral and summed up what many around the league already believed.
After taking linebacker Jalon Walker at No. 15, the Atlanta Falcons made an aggressive push to re-enter the first round, sending their 2026 first-rounder, a 2025 second-round pick, and a seventh-rounder to the Los Angeles Rams. In return, they secured the No. 26 overall selection and a 2025 third-rounder—using that spot to draft edge rusher James Pearce Jr.
“I understand why people aren’t taking our deals,” Roseman quipped in the Eagles’ draft room footage.
The #Eagles were trying to trade up in the first round when the #Falcons jumped up and gave up their 2026 first-round pick.
Howie Roseman: “I now understand why people aren’t taking our deals.” 😂
(via @Eagles, h/t @DiBonaNFL)pic.twitter.com/FUmM2CbB3A
— Ari Meirov (@MySportsUpdate) May 4, 2025
The Falcons shocked many when they traded a future first-round pick to the Rams to move up and grab Pearce. Meanwhile, Roseman had been working on a trade-up of his own—and ultimately struck a smaller deal with the Chiefs to land Jihaad Campbell. Still, he appeared genuinely stunned by how much Atlanta gave up to make their move.
Howie Roseman and the Eagles ramping up their defense
In the end, the Eagles managed to trade up one spot to land a defensive playmaker they believe fits their system. He joins an already deep unit and is expected to complement Zack Baun well.
Howie Roseman and the Eagles aimed to reload their defense after several key players, including Josh Sweat, departed following their Super Bowl victory. Drafting Campbell reflects their push to restock that talent and maintain their defensive edge.
The Eagles front office made 10 picks in the 2025 NFL Draft, aiming to inject youth across the roster. On defense, the Eagles added safety Andrew Mukuba, defensive tackle Ty Robinson, cornerback Mac McWilliams, linebacker Smael Mondon, and edge rusher Antwaun Powell-Ryland. Offensively, they selected linemen Drew Kendall, Myles Hinton, and Cameron Williams, along with quarterback Kyle McCord, targeting depth and long-term development.
Generally, accumulating more draft picks increases the chances of finding impact players, and the Eagles followed that strategy by making 10 selections. With more opportunities than teams that dealt away picks, Philadelphia improved its odds of landing quality talent in this draft class.
