Los Angeles Rams–Philadelphia Eagles Trade History

The January 1952 Rams-Eagles agreement sent Jack "Moose" Myers and Philadelphia's 1953 first-round pick toward Los Angeles, while Bobby Thomason moved to Philadelphia and Jack Zilly was later identified as the remaining player. The Eagles ultimately received the best performer in Thomason, whose productive run at quarterback outweighed the Rams' first-round selection and Myers in realized NFL value.

The March 1952 completion of the Rams-Eagles exchange left Los Angeles with the rights to Jack "Moose" Myers and Philadelphia's 1953 first-round choice, later used on Donn Moomaw. Philadelphia received Bobby Thomason and the later-named Jack Zilly. Thomason became the transaction's most productive NFL player, giving the Eagles the stronger realized return despite surrendering a premium draft choice.

Philadelphia acquired quarterback Norm Van Brocklin from the Rams for Buck Lansford, Jimmy Harris and the 1959 first-round selection that became No. 2 overall Dick Bass. Van Brocklin led the Eagles to the 1960 NFL championship and won league MVP in his final season. Los Angeles also received major long-term production from Bass, a three-time Pro Bowler who spent a decade with the Rams.

Los Angeles moved rookie Ken Young to Philadelphia and recovered an undisclosed draft pick. The available evidence does not identify the round, year or eventual selection, so the Rams' downstream value cannot be quantified. Still, they converted a player who lasted only a week with the Eagles into a future asset.

Los Angeles traded Don Burroughs to Philadelphia for the 1962 fifth-round pick that became No. 68 Ben Wilson. Wilson gave the Rams 41 games, 24 starts and nine touchdowns over three seasons. Burroughs delivered the larger return: 64 games, 62 starts and 29 interceptions for Philadelphia, beginning with nine interceptions on the 1960 NFL championship team. Both sides gained value, but the Eagles gained substantially more.

Los Angeles received Bob Pellegrini in the March 1962 swap, but he never appeared in a regular-season game for the Rams and was traded to Washington before the season. Philadelphia received John Baker, who started all seven games he played for the Eagles that year and recorded four sacks. Neither side landed a long-term answer, but Philadelphia extracted the only direct on-field return from the exchanged players.

Los Angeles received Philadelphia's 1963 fifth-round pick, No. 60, and used it on tackle Roland Benson. Benson never appeared in an NFL regular-season game. Philadelphia received guard Roy Hord, who played 11 games and started six for the Eagles in 1962 before leaving for the Jets. The modest but real starting value makes Philadelphia the clear winner in hindsight.

Los Angeles received five seasons of elite linebacker play from Maxie Baughan: 65 games, 63 starts, 11 interceptions and four straight Pro Bowls from 1966 through 1969. Philadelphia's return was much thinner. Frank Molden started six games, Fred Brown appeared in 26 after missing 1966, and probable pick No. 68 Harry Wilson played only six games. The Rams' A-to-C win is supported by the actual production.

Los Angeles acquired veteran cornerback Irv Cross from Philadelphia for defensive back Aaron Martin and running back Willie Brown. Cross started every game for the Rams across three seasons and became a dependable piece of a rising defense. Martin supplied Philadelphia with some useful secondary snaps, while Brown made only a limited impact. The Rams received the best individual player and the more sustained value, giving Los Angeles the edge.

Los Angeles Rams received Gerald Circo / Jerald Circo from Philadelphia Eagles in the 1966-07-26 trade. Los Angeles acquired Jerald Circo; his Rams tenure did not produce a durable regular-season contribution. Philadelphia Eagles's return was 1967 seventh round pick (#174-John Williams). Philadelphia received the seventh-round pick used on John Williams at No. 174. Those realized outcomes, rather than the labels on the assets alone, drive the hindsight grade.

Los Angeles/Cleveland/St. Louis Rams received Bob Brown and Jim Nettles; Brown was a first-team All-Pro and Pro Bowler in both 1969 and 1970 for Los Angeles, while Nettles supplied 55 games, 35 starts and 16 interceptions from 1969-72. The team earns a A-, compared with C+ for Philadelphia Eagles, and the hindsight verdict is Los Angeles/Cleveland/St. Louis Rams Win. That judgment reflects the concrete team-specific production, role and tenure created by the assets in this deal.

Philadelphia traded running back Izzy Lang to Los Angeles in July 1969 for Harold Jackson and rookie defensive end John Zook. Jackson immediately led the NFL with 1,116 receiving yards, later led the league again in receiving yards and receptions, and became one of the era’s top deep threats. Lang carried the ball once for the Rams and retired after the season. Philadelphia won this exchange overwhelmingly.

Los Angeles acquired Jim Purnell and two draft choices from Philadelphia in a multi-asset veteran exchange, although the surviving record does not consistently identify the selections. Purnell went on to provide the Rams with a sustained role after the trade. Philadelphia received Tony Guillory and one draft choice, but Guillory's contribution did not match Purnell's, leaving the Eagles more dependent on an unidentified asset for value.

Los Angeles acquired return specialist Alvin Haymond from Philadelphia for Billy Guy Anderson, Jimmy Raye and a future third-round choice. Haymond supplied productive returning in Los Angeles, while Philadelphia later used the pick in acquiring linebacker Ron Porter. Both clubs received useful football value. An even grade recognizes the Rams' specialist contribution and the Eagles' documented onward compensation.

On 1971-09-01, Los Angeles Rams received Joe Carollo, while Philadelphia Eagles received draft pick (possibly 1972 #99-Joe Federspiel). The hindsight verdict is Los Angeles/Cleveland/St. Louis Rams Win, with Los Angeles Rams graded B and Philadelphia Eagles graded C+. The evaluation follows the documented consideration and the football value that can be traced from it, while treating conditional terms and later draft outcomes as context rather than as assets exchanged directly on trade day.

Los Angeles sent quarterback Roman Gabriel to Philadelphia for a five-asset package: Harold Jackson, Tony Baker, the 1974 first-round pick used on John Cappelletti, the 1975 first-round pick used on Dennis Harrah, and the 1975 third-round pick used on Dan Nugent. Gabriel immediately revived the Eagles offense, but Jackson and especially Harrah gave the Rams far more sustained value over the following decade.

The Rams acquired kicker Tom Dempsey from Philadelphia for a future fourth-round choice whose surviving draft lineage is identified as probably No. 117. Dempsey immediately rewarded Los Angeles by making 21 of 26 field goals in 1975 and scoring a team-high 94 points. Philadelphia later moved the pick onward. The Rams received clear, productive veteran value and deserve the edge.

Los Angeles sent Ron Kecman and Gregg Butler to Philadelphia on August 24, 1976 for the Eagles' 1977 second-round pick. Butler was released by Philadelphia before the regular season, and Kecman did not become a lasting Eagles contributor. Even though the exact player selected with the returned choice is not identified here, the Rams clearly received the stronger asset.

Los Angeles acquired the rights to tight end Charle Young by sending the rights to quarterback Ron Jaworski to Philadelphia. Young had already been a productive Eagle, but his Rams stay did not approach the franchise-changing value Jaworski delivered in Philadelphia. The Rams received a legitimate veteran, yet surrendering a decade-long Eagles starter makes this a clear loss in hindsight.

Los Angeles acquired defensive end Dennis Harrison from Philadelphia on September 28, 1985 for a 1986 fourth-round pick and a 1987 seventh-round asset later used in the 1986 supplemental draft. Harrison supplied three sacks in 12 Rams games, but his stay was brief. The two outgoing assets ultimately gave Philadelphia substantially more lasting value than the Rams received.

St. Louis acquired rookie receiver Brandon Gibson and a 2010 fifth-round pick for linebacker Will Witherspoon. Gibson became a four-year Rams contributor, producing 174 catches, 2,090 receiving yards and nine touchdowns, while the pick was later used in a trade package that improved the Rams' draft position. Witherspoon helped Philadelphia immediately but lasted only 11 games before his release. The Rams win this deal on sustained realized value.

The quarterback swap produced more long-term value than either starter's 2015 season suggests. Philadelphia got a full season from Sam Bradford, then traded him to Minnesota in 2016 for a first-round pick and additional draft value. St. Louis received Nick Foles, Andrew Donnal and a 2016 second-rounder; Foles failed, but that second-round pick became a core piece of the package used to move to No. 1 for Jared Goff. Both teams extracted major downstream value.

Los Angeles moved from No. 207 to No. 197 in the 2026 draft to select Miami receiver CJ Daniels, sending Philadelphia two seventh-round choices with its sixth-rounder. The Rams concentrated three opportunities into one preferred receiver. His professional career is too young to establish whether that concentration produced better value than the alternatives.