This year’s NFL Draft had plenty of memorable moments, but the Philadelphia Eagles may have been at the top of the list with their trade for USC receiver Makai Lemon. A potential top-10 pick entering the draft, Lemon slid into the back half of the first round and appeared to be on his way to the Pittsburgh Steelers. But just as he was talking to what he thought was his new team, the Eagles traded up to select him with the 20th pick overall.
The trade gave the Eagles a new receiver and potentially spelled the end for A.J. Brown in Philadelphia. But the aftershock hit much harder for the Steelers, who had to quickly pivot to take Arizona State offensive tackle Max Iheanachor with the 21st overall pick. The deal is finished, and both teams will look to get the most out of their first-round picks, but the Steelers may not be done feeling the effects of the Eagles cutting the line, as ESPN’s Ben Solak suggested it could put current left tackle Broderick Jones on the hot seat entering training camp.
“It’s not hard to read the writing on the wall here,” Solak wrote. “Assuming Jones’ neck injury remains a factor, Iheanachor will likely get first-team reps in training camp and accordingly an inside track to start in Week 1. If his play holds water, it would be surprising to see Jones get back on the field as the starter once he finally returns to health.”
The Eagles Could Benefit From Makai Lemon Trade in an Unexpected Way
The Eagles aren’t immediate rivals with the Steelers, who reside in the AFC North. But it could be interesting to make them laugh from afar as Pittsburgh tries to make its offensive tackle situation make sense. The Steelers already drafted Troy Fautanu in the first round of the 2024 draft, and he started all 17 games at right tackle last year. But Jones is more likely to be replaced after suffering a neck injury and having his fifth-round option declined last spring.
Jones’s play, which Solak noted had a 85.0% pass block win rate that ranked 65th among 68 qualified tackles last season, was enough to justify that decision. But adding Iheanachor may have accelerated the timeline for his departure, according to former Steelers offensive lineman Trai Essex.
“With Broderick, I think it might be prudent of him to request a trade,” Essex said on the Big Play podcast with co-host Charlie Batch. “He still has a lot of value, a lot of athleticism. He’s still young. And he’s showed he’s still capable of playing and improving throughout the year. He still might be the odd man out when you consider two first-round tackles [are] probably ahead of him and the way [reserve offensive tackle] Dylan Cook played last year…Broderick might be the odd man out.”
This is where it could get really funny for the Eagles. The Steelers could have used Lemon more than another offensive tackle with DK Metcalf surrounded by replacement players and Aaron Rodgers dragging his decision on whether to play in 2026 as long as possible. And if Jones becomes available, the Eagles could make things more interesting by making a call to Pittsburgh.
The Eagles don’t have an immediate need at offensive tackle with Jordan Mailata and Lane Johnson solidified as starters. But even with third-round pick Markel Bell joining the fold, Philadelphia may look for an upgrade behind Fred Johnson as Mailata’s backup on the blindside. General manager Howie Roseman also has a willingness to deal anything that’s not a top 100 pick in the draft, and if the Eagles don’t like their depth, Jones could be an option thanks to the logjam in Pittsburgh.
None of this may have happened if the Eagles didn't budge in front of the Steelers to get Lemon on draft night. If Lemon succeeds in Philadelphia, the trade could win in multiple ways if Pittsburgh gets rid of Jones sooner than expected.
More Philadelphia Eagles News & Rumors:
Add us as a preferred source on Google