Eagles land McDougle in trade with Jets

PHILADELPHIA » The Eagles exchanged defensive backs in a Sunday morning trade with the New York Jets.

The Eagles acquired cornerback Dexter McDougle for safety Terrence Brooks, a move designed to bolster the team’s depth at cornerback.

The 26-year-old McDougle has seven tackles and no interception in 20 career games. He was a third-round draft selection of the Jets in 2014.

McDougle will compete for one of the backup cornerback spots on the roster.

“With Terrence, it’s a great opportunity for him to go and compete and be a part of that organization, and be a part of Todd’s (New York Jets head coach Todd Bowles) defense,” Eagles coach Doug Pederson said. “Then in our case with McDougle, adding more depth to corner-nickel position. Just letting him come in here and compete, and see where he’s at.

“He’s a young kid that we’re excited about getting him in here and getting him going with the defense.”

The 5-10, 195-pound McDougle spent most of the 2016 campaign on the Jets’ practice squad. He tore his ACL his rookie season with New York. McDougle joins current starters Ron Darby Jalen Mills and Rasul Douglas.

Mills is dealing with a minor hand injury and did not practice Sunday

“It’s not a problem,” Mills said. “I’ll be ready (for the season opener at Washington).”

Brooks was an expendable asset considering the Eagles are loaded at the safety position. After signing with the Birds last

summer, he played in 11 games, registered six tackles and one interception.

The could impact whether Jaylen Watkins makes the 53-man roster. The career safety started to take reps at cornerback in recent weeks, then had a 46-yard interception return in the Eagles’ 38-31 win over Miami last Thursday.

“I’m calm, man,” Watkins said. “I’ve been released and that’s the worst thing possible that can happen to you. You know how the process works, being released ... and then transitioning to a new team. So, a lot of guys don’t have that luxury to know what it’s like. But I’m one of them. I know what it’s like to (get released) and to make a team ... so, in the next few days, we’ll wait and see what happens.”