(Photo: USA TODAY Sports)
Jaire Alexander
(Photo: Thearon W. Henderson, Getty)
When the Philadelphia Eagles traded for cornerback Jaire Alexander last week just in time for him to play against the Green Bay Packers Monday night it added to a long list of players to play for both teams just over the past few decades.
How long is that list? Long enough to come up with a starting offense, defense, a few backups and even some specialists. Yes, that long.
While the majority of the list are players who began in Green Bay and then went to Philly, the four best players on the list — Reggie White, Keith Jackson, Al Harris and Rasul Douglas — did the opposite.
Here's the position by position list.
QB: Ty Detmer — Ray Rhodes actually brought him to the Eagles a year after a trade for Mark Brunell fell apart. A backup for the Packers, he started a playoff game for the Eagles.
Backup: Doug Pederson
RB: Dorsey Levens — One of Andy Reid's signings, the one-time star for the Packers provided some good backup work for the Eagles and helped them get to a Super Bowl.
WR: James Lofton, Antonio Freeman — Hall of Famer Lofton went to the Raiders from the Packers, but landed in Philly for a year before eventually finishing in Buffalo for the Super Bowl-bound Bills.
Freeman, also a tar for the Packers, joined Reid in Philly for a year before going back to Green Bay.
TE: Keith Jackson — The NFL's first "official'' free agent Jackson bolted Philly for Miami before he was traded to the Packers. After not wanting to head North he was instrumental in helping the team win the Super Bowl.
Backup: Ed West
T: John Michels, Joe Sims — Michels, a first-round pick of the Packers was traded to the Eagles for Jon Harris, another first-round pick. When it happened I wrote "This is a trade that won't help either team.'' For once, I was right.
Sims played most of his career for the Packers, but Rhodes brought him to the Eagles before he eventually went back to Green Bay.
G: Ron Hallstrom, Guy McIntyre — Hallstrom was a first-round pick of the Packers who ended his career with the Eagles.
McIntyre enjoyed most of his success and played most of his career as a 49er.
C: Raleigh McKenzie — The long-time lineman played a year for both teams.
Defensive Ends: Reggie White, Tim Harris — White, who is in both team's Hall of Fames, is the the biggest and best free agent signing in Packers history.
Harris was traded by the Packers to the 49ers, but ended his career as an Eagle.
Defensive Tackle: Cullen Jenkins — Jenkins left Green Bay after the Super Bowl, but was not as effective with the Eagles.
Linebackers: Nate Wayne, Brad Jones, Seth Joyner — Wayne was a solid starter for the Packers. He was OK for the Eagles as well.
Jones was a marginal player for both teams who did better on special teams in Green Bay.
Joyner was a star for the Eagles, went to Arizona, and was recruited by Reggie to come to Green Bay. He spent one season — the Super Bowl loss to Denver season — with the Packers.
Cornerbacks: Al Harris, Rasul Douglas — In what might be the only good personnel move made by Mike Sherman in his time as GM, he acquired Harris in a trade with the Eagles.
Douglas was a third-round pick of the Eagles but bounced to the Panthers, Raiders and Cardinals before having a Pro Bowl season for the Packers.
Safety: Tim Hauck — The "Missle'' came to the Eagles after beginning his career with the Packers.
Kicker: Dale Dawson, Dean Dorsey — The Double Ds kicked for the Eagles in 1988 and the Packers in 1989 and were not very good for either.
Punter: Sean Landeta — He joined Reid in Philly after a good year with the Packers. He was very good with the Eagles.
Returnman: Vai Sikahema — Most of his career was spent with the Cardinals, but he spent a year in Green Bay and then finished with the Eagles.
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