Indianapolis acquired tackle Winston Justice and pick No. 187…
Indianapolis acquired tackle Winston Justice and pick No. 187 for pick No. 172. Justice became a regular Colts starter in 2012, while Indianapolis later sent No. 187 to the Jets in the Drew Stanton trade. Philadelphia also extracted downstream value: No. 172 became part of the package used to move from No. 15 to No. 12 for Fletcher Cox. Both teams turned a small exchange into useful value.
Indianapolis Colts Received
- player Winston Justice
- pick 2012 6th round pick (187th overall subsequently traded to the New York Jets in the Drew Stanton deal)
Philadelphia Eagles Received
- pick 2012 6th round pick (172nd overall subsequently traded to Seattle as part of Philadelphia's move for Fletcher Cox)
Trade Analysis
Why Indianapolis Added Justice
The Colts were rebuilding their roster around rookie quarterback Andrew Luck and needed experienced offensive-line help. They acquired Winston Justice from Philadelphia along with sixth-round pick No. 187, sending the Eagles the slightly earlier No. 172 selection. Justice stepped into the Indianapolis lineup and started regularly during the 2012 season, giving the Colts immediate value at tackle.
What Indianapolis Did With No. 187
The pick was not simply used on the player later selected at that slot. Indianapolis traded No. 187 to the New York Jets as part of the deal that brought quarterback Drew Stanton to the Colts and also returned a later selection. That makes the acquired sixth-rounder part of a separate roster-building chain rather than a direct draft outcome.
How Philadelphia Recycled No. 172
Philadelphia also moved its acquired selection. The Eagles packaged No. 172 with first-round pick No. 15 and fourth-round pick No. 114 to Seattle, climbing to No. 12. They selected defensive tackle Fletcher Cox, who became one of the best players in franchise history. Pick No. 172 was only one component of that price, so the trade should receive partial downstream credit rather than treating Cox as a one-for-one result.
Why This Trade Still Matters
Both teams used a small asset efficiently. Indianapolis got a season of starting tackle play and retained flexibility through another trade. Philadelphia shed a player it was prepared to move and improved the draft capital used in a major first-round move.
Final Verdict
Even Trade. Indianapolis earns a B- for Justice's immediate starting value and the later pick conversion. Philadelphia earns a B- because No. 172 became useful currency in the move for Fletcher Cox. Neither side clearly outperformed the other on this specific exchange.