Howie Roseman met with the media Tuesday following the trade deadline to officially announce that the Eagles had traded their 2019 third-round draft pick to the Detroit Lions for wide receiver Golden Tate.
The 30-year-old versatile playmaker led the Lions with 517 yards on 44 receptions with three touchdowns in 2018. Tate has led the NFL in yards after the catch in three out of the last four seasons and has not missed a game since 2012.
"The message to our fans, to our players, to our coaches, to everyone in this organization is that our foot is always going to be on the gas," Roseman said. "We're always trying to win, we're always going to try to put our best foot forward, and what we can do now is try to do that with this season and this moment and that's what we're going to do. That's our responsibility.
"He fits what we do offensively, fits what we do from a character perspective. I can't wait to get him in here and for everyone in Philly to see what we're getting."
Tate has the most yards after catch (2,736) in the NFL since 2014. Since 2010, he ranks second in the league behind Steelers wide receiver Antonio Brown in third-down receptions with 180.
Tate can play both as an outside and as a slot receiver and has been used to make plays out of the backfield in the run game. With players like wide receiver Nelson Agholor possessing some similar skill sets, Roseman sees the move as adding even more versatility to an already talented group.
"We know we've got great players on offense already," Roseman said. "When you talk to (the coaches) and see the excitement on their faces for getting him in here and the way they can get him involved and also the opportunities to open things up for our other players, it was really exciting just to hear that."
The move is a clear indication that the Eagles plan to be contenders in the second half of the season. Roseman said his focus at the deadline was on winning games this season by selecting the best player available as opposed to solely getting the better bargain.
"We have a lot of confidence in our players and our coaching staff," Roseman said. "Has everything gone exactly the way we hoped this year? No. I don't think any season does but we think we have a really good football team and we're adding a really good player.
"It's hard to find really good players and this is a really good player who really fits this culture and this community, this city. He's a hard-working, determined guy with a lot of passion, a lot of energy, and what he does with the ball in his hands is special."
In a corresponding move, the Eagles announced they waived defensive tackle Bruce Hector. Tate will join the 53-man roster and will have time to get up to speed on the Eagles' playbook during the bye week before the Eagles take on the Dallas Cowboys on November 11. When Tate faced the Cowboys as a member of the Lions on September 30, he had eight receptions for 132 yards and two touchdowns.
Roseman said the team spent months doing thorough research and having conversations about the best player to fit at important positions. Tate was the answer in the end. Roseman said head coach Doug Pederson was "excited" about the move.
"Very excited. A lot of happy people upstairs," Roseman said. "Our owner (Jeffrey Lurie) is very excited about it too. … I think our fans, our team, just getting him here, seeing what he brings on the field, off the field, to the practice field, the competitiveness, that's what we are looking for."
