The Philadelphia Eagles seem to be hoping that offensive line coach Jeff Stoutland can work similar miracles with guard Kenyon Green to turning Mekhi Becton into a high-end starter last season, following a surprising trade on the second day of the NFL negotiating window.
Tuesday, the Eagles sent stalwart starting safety C.J. Gardner-Johnson to the Houston Texans, in exchange for Green and a pick swap that nets Philadelphia a fifth-round pick in the 2026 draft.
Trading Gardner-Johnson clears the path for second-year safety Sydney Brown to walk into a starting job, but could be a significant downgrade along the offensive line, if Green doesn’t rapidly significantly improve.
Pro Football Focus gives the Eagles a “below average” grade for the trade.
“The Texans trade away another starter along the offensive line,” the PFF staff writes. “But this one makes a lot more sense than the Laremy Tunsil deal. Green has struggled in the NFL so far, and the Eagles will hope to revive his career—much like they did with Mekhi Becton in 2024. Meanwhile, Houston upgrades its defensive backfield with Gardner-Johnson, who is coming off a career-high 77.7 PFF grade in a Super Bowl-winning season with Philadelphia.”
Last season, Green allowed five sacks while garnering a 38.6 overall grade from Pro Football Focus, and will need to drastically improve if this trade is going to work out for Philadelphia.
For More Football News:
Follow Matt Lombardo on Threads at @MattLombardoNFL. To read more of our articles and in-depth NFL coverage, click here.
Our Partners
