Day 3 of the 2023 NFL Draft got off to a fast start, with picks seemingly being traded at a record pace.
Included among the flurry of trades was a veteran running back being sent to a new team. That would be D'Andre Swift.
Swift, a second-round pick by the Lions in 2020, was traded from the Lions to the Eagles as the fourth round came to a close. The Georgia product will now jockey for positioning in Philadelphia's running back room after he totaled 552 yards and five touchdowns on 99 carries with Detroit last year.
Why did the Lions trade Swift and what did the Eagles give up to get him? Here's everything to know about the D'Andre Swift trade and how it impacts the Eagles' and Lions' running back depth charts.
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D'Andre Swift trade details
Eagles get:
- RB D'Andre Swift
- 2023 seventh-round pick (No. 249)
Lions get:
- 2025 fourth-round pick
- 2023 seventh-round pick (No. 219)
The Lions are trading Swift to the Eagles in exchange for a fourth-round pick in 2025 and a swap of seventh-round picks in this year's draft.
The deal is a sensible one for the Lions. They spent a lot of resources at the running back position during the 2023 offseason. They signed David Montgomery to a three-year, $18 million deal in free agency and then spent the 12th overall pick in the 2023 NFL Draft on Alabama running back Jahmyr Gibbs.
It was expected that Gibbs, an Alvin Kamara-type prospect, would be the team's lead running back with Montgomery serving as a more powerful complement to him. That left Swift without an obvious role in the Detroit backfield.
The Eagles will be happy to get Swift. The Georgia product hasn't been able to stay healthy during his career, but he has averaged 4.6 yards per carry during his career and profiles as a three-down running back. Adding him to a running back room that features Rashaad Penny and Kenneth Gainwell gives the Eagles a nice stable of weapons.
MORE: Full list of Eagles' 2023 draft picks
Eagles RB depth chart
Speaking of the Eagles' running back room, where exactly will Swift fit into it? It seems likely that he and Rashaad Penny will work in tandem as the backfield leaders. Penny will probably be the starter given his strength and burst between the tackles while Swift, a strong receiver, will play more in passing situations. So, it will be a 1A and 1B situation for the duo.
Below is a look at what the Eagles' depth chart at running back could look like for the 2023 season:
| Rank | Player |
| 1A | Rashaad Penny |
| 1B | D'Andre Swift |
| 3 | Kenneth Gainwell |
| 4 | Boston Scott |
| 5 | Trey Sermon |
| 6 | Kennedy Brooks |
Gainwell is the wild card among those in the Philadelphia backfield. He proved to be an explosive alternative to Miles Sanders during the Eagles' Super Bowl run in 2023, so he may be able to take carries away from Penny and Swift.
Of course, it's also notable that Penny has never played more than 14 games in a season or handled more than 125 touches. Meanwhile, Swift has missed 10 career games, so Gainwell and Scott could end up playing larger-than-expected roles in the backfield if either of the Eagles' top veterans get hurt.
Either way, Philadelphia has plenty of proven, quality depth at the running back position.
MORE: Full list of Lions' 2023 draft picks
Lions RB depth chart
The Lions' depth chart is a bit less crowded after trading Swift, but they still have plenty of quality depth at the position behind Gibbs and Montgomery.
Below is how the Lions currently stack up at running back:
| Rank | Player |
| 1 | Jahmyr Gibbs |
| 2 | David Montgomery |
| 3 | Craig Reynolds |
| 4 | Jermar Jefferson |
| 5 | Greg Bell |
Reynolds has averaged 4.3 yards per carry during his career while Jefferson, a seventh-round pick in 2021, has averaged 4.9. The duo have been effective when filling in for Swift and Jamaal Williams over the years, so having them to back up Gibbs and Montgomery should allow Detroit to boast a robust running game in 2023.
