Rowe Calls Roseman's Response To Trading Him 'Really Weird'

PHILADELPHIA (CBS) -- After just one year in the NFL and only four days before the start of the 2016 season, the Eagles curiously traded cornerback Eric Rowe to the New England Patriots for a conditional fourth-round pick.

In 2016, the Eagles struggled at cornerback and following their 7-9 season, executive vice president of personnel Howie Roseman was asked to explain his decision to trade Rowe.

"We felt at that time that we were not going to sign him to an extension," Roseman said a couple of weeks ago.

Roseman's reasoning may seem odd because the Eagles had control of Rowe through 2018 (at an average salary of under $1 million). Rowe, who gets ready for Sunday's AFC Championship game with his new team this week, doesn't understand that explanation either.

"That's a long time away," Rowe told Delawareonline.com on Thursday. "If that's the reason [for the trade], that's really, really weird. You know, it's whatever. If he thinks that, then I guess that's what it was. They're thinking way down the line."

Rowe has put together a solid year with New England and is thankful Roseman traded him, regardless of the reasoning behind it.

"It was a relief from the fact that it was a team that wanted me," Rowe said via Delawareonline.com. "I came in and, Bill … came and talked to me and said, 'We've been watching you since last year, your rookie year, and we feel that you'd be a good fit in our system.'"