Eagles trade for former 4th-round cornerback originally appeared on NBC Sports Philadelphia
The Eagles moved to bolster their under-manned secondary Tuesday, trading a fringe player and a 2023 draft pick for a 22-year-old cornerback who was a 4th-round pick just a year ago.
The Eagles shipped cornerback Jameson Houston and a 6th-round pick in 2023 to the Jacksonville Jaguars for cornerback Josiah Scott.
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Scott was the Jaguars’ 4th-round pick last year but played in only six games, getting 80 snaps on defense (and none on special teams).
At 5-foot-9, 185 pounds, Scott is likely best-suited to the slot, which isn’t where the Eagles have their most pressing need. But he does add depth to a cornerback position that has only two established pros — Darius Slay and Avonte Maddox.
And Maddox has been plagued by injuries and inconsistency in his three seasons. The Eagles began last season with Maddox at outside corner, but he struggled in eight starts before getting hurt. He’s also unsigned beyond 2021.
Houston, undrafted out of Baylor, played in three games last year as the Eagles dealt with constant cornerback injuries. He played 22 reps on defense and 22 on special teams. Houston began the season with brief stints with the Browns and Panthers.
In addition to Slay, Maddox and Scott, the Eagles’ only other cornerbacks are Craig James, Lavert Hill, Michael Jacquet and rookie 4th-round pick Zech McPhearson. James is going into his fourth season but has only 83 career defensive snaps and is essentially a special teamer.
Scott played at Michigan State, where he had six interceptions, including three in 2019.
The Eagles also re-signed 25-year-old offensive tackle Casey Tucker, who was in training camp with the Eagles last year and then spent a couple weeks at the end of the season on the practice squad. Tucker participated in Eagles rookie camp over the weekend on a tryout basis.
After signing Tucker, the Eagles have one open spot on their 90-man roster.
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