Jan 21, 2018; Philadelphia, PA, USA; A Philadelphia Eagles flag is waved after the Philadelphia Eagles beat the Minnesota Vikings in the NFC Championship game at Lincoln Financial Field. Mandatory Credit: Bill Streicher-USA TODAY Sports
The Philadelphia Eagles made a significant trade today, sending their top quarterback, Sonny Jurgensen, and defensive back Jimmy Carr to Washington. In return, they acquired Norman Snead, the Redskins’ No. 1 quarterback, and Claude Crabb, a defensive back. This move marks the Eagles’ second major trade in less than two weeks as they aim to rebuild under their new coach, Joe Kuharich.
Coach Kuharich explained that the trade was about exchanging experience for youth and hoping that a change of scenery might benefit the players involved. Jurgensen, 29 years old with seven years of NFL experience, had a challenging season, being disabled for more than half of 1963 and having his worst performance since taking over as the Eagles’ first-string quarterback in 1961.
On the other hand, Snead, 24 years old and only three years out of Wake Forest College, was the Redskins’ first draft choice in 1960. Coach Bill McPeak consistently predicted greatness for Snead, who had an impressive performance last year, completing 175 of 363 passes for 3,043 yards and 13 touchdowns.
This trade follows another recent move by the Eagles, trading Tommy McDonald to the Dallas Cowboys for Lynn Hoyem, John Meyers, and Sam Baker. McDonald had been Jurgensen’s favorite pass-receiving target.
Overall, the Eagles seem focused on rejuvenating their roster by bringing in younger talent and making strategic changes to improve their performance in the upcoming season.
