Eric Rowe was sitting in the NovaCare Complex Tuesday morning watching film of the Browns when he learned that he wasn’t playing the Browns on Sunday. He was playing the Cards.
Just another day in the NFL.
“I didn’t see it coming,” Rowe told reporters in Foxboro, Massachusetts, after practice Thursday. “It was our off day in Philly and I was watching film with the other DBs and they called me up and said, hey, they were trading me. I was like, ‘Whoa, it’s like 11 o’clock, I’m not ready for this. I just came in to watch film.’ It kind of was a shock to me.”
The Eagles traded Rowe, their second-round pick last year, to the Patriots on Tuesday for a fourth-round pick that will become a third-round pick if Rowe plays 50 percent of the Patriots’ defensive snaps in either of the next two seasons.
Rowe started five games last year but was outplayed in the preseason by rookie seventh-round pick Jalen Mills.
“The minute I got traded, I was like, ‘I don’t even know the schedule. I was just studying for the Browns and now I was like, oh my God, they play Sunday night at Arizona.’
“Now I have to wipe that whole game play out and now I’ve got to pick up the defense and the game plan here. So yeah, it’s been a whirlwind.”
Philadelphia Eagles
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With the one move, Rowe goes from a team that hasn’t won a playoff game in eight years and hasn’t won a championship in 55 years to a team that since 2001 has won four Super Bowls, reached six Super Bowls, averaged over 12 wins per year and won 22 playoff games.
“I’m excited just to get an opportunity to play,” Rowe said. “This is like a dynasty team, so I’m just excited for an opportunity to play and make the team better and coach [Bill] Belichick sees something in me. He’s a Hall of Fame coach, so that really motivates me.”
Rowe played both corner and safety in college but was exclusively a cornerback with the Eagles, and he said Thursday he considers himself primarily a cornerback.
But Belichick left the door open for Rowe to play both or either.
“I think athletically he has a good skill set and that gives him the versatility, at least in college, to play those two positions,” he said. “I'm not saying he's going to do that for us or not do it. We'll have to see how it goes. I don't really know.
“He has mainly played corner in this league, but you know, has some length. We'll see how it goes but I think he has some positional versatility, a smart kid, has got some length, has some speed.”
Rowe, just 23, is the first second-round pick the Eagles have given up on this quickly since defensive tackle Bruce Walker, who actually didn’t even survive his rookie preseason in 1994.
This isn’t quite Sam Bradford-crazy, but on Monday, Rowe was practicing at the NovaCare Complex, and on Wednesday he was practicing at Gillette Stadium.
Rowe is the sixth former Eagle in the Patriots’ organization. Another defensive back who struggled in Philly, Patrick Chung, is a starting safety and has a Super Bowl ring with the Patriots. Danny Amendola and Clay Harbor are also on the active roster. Quentin Gause is on the practice squad and Dion Lewis is on the PUP list.
Belichick said Rowe may play Sunday night against the Cards in Glendale, Arizona, although he wouldn’t say how much playing time he could expect or what role he’ll be in.
“It’s been crazy,” Rowe said. “From two days ago in the morning time to now, the head’s just spinning. I’ve got to adjust to a new place, but I mean it’s something you’ve got to do.
“I’m excited to get on the field and play. Yeah, you’ve got to get over the wow factor and put in the work to help the franchise continue to be great. They brought me here for a reason so I need to get the job done.”
