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Eagles trade Boykin to Steelers for conditional 5th-round pick in 2016

Brandon Boykin is moving across Pennsylvania.

The Philadelphia Eagles traded the cornerback to the Pittsburgh Steelers for a conditional fifth-round pick in the 2016 draft, the clubs announced Saturday.

The pick could become a fourth-rounder depending on playing time for Boykin, according to Adam Caplan of ESPN.

The Eagles have reportedly been shopping Boykin for months.

Boykin, a 2012 fourth-round pick out of Georgia, was surprised by the move, but he's "super excited" about coming to a team that wants him, according to Les Bowen of the Philadelphia Daily News.

Boykin is a good bet to be a starter for the cornerback-strapped Steelers, with speculation that rookie Senquez Golson's lingering shoulder injury was a driving force behind Pittsburgh making a deal now.

The Steelers were atrocious against the pass last season, ranking 27th in passing defense and 25th in interceptions. Cortez Allen and William Gay were penciled in as starters before Boykin's arrival.

From an Eagles standpoint, it's yet another instance of head coach Chip Kelly trading away proven talent because it's a poor fit for his scheme. LeSean McCoy, Nick Foles, Trent Cole, Cary Williams, Todd Herremans, and Evan Mathis have all been jettisoned this offseason to accomodate Kelly's vision.

On the flip side, the Eagles got something of value for a player who probably wouldn't be back in 2016 and wasn't going to be a full-time starter.

In three seasons with the Eagles, Boykin tallied 129 tackles and seven interceptions. He exploded in 2013, with six interceptions and two forced fumbles.

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