The long-running saga of whether the Eagles would ever give corner Brandon Boykin a chance to work outside ended abruptly Saturday night, when the Birds traded Boykin to the Pittsburgh Steelers for a fifth-round draft choice that ESPN's Adam Caplan reported can be a fourth-rounder depending on playing time.
In a text message, Boykin said he was surprised by the move, made the night before the opening of Eagles training camp at NovaCare, but added he was "super excited for a new opportunity with a team that wants me."
Boykin has been a standout since the previous Eagles regime drafted him in the fourth round from Georgia in 2012.