The Eagles have dealt Dion Lewis to Cleveland for linebacker Emmanuel Acho, ESPN’s Adam Schefter reported Thursday.
Last week, the Philadelphia Inquirer reported Lewis was available in trade.
Lewis (5-8, 195) rushed for 69 yards on 13 carries for the Eagles in 2012. The third-year back from Pitt will be just 22 years old when the regular season begins. Lewis will compete with veterans Montario Hardesty and Chris Ogbonnaya for playing time behind starter Trent Richardson.
The amount of opportunities Lewis could get in Cleveland figures to be tied to how the Browns use Richardson, who had 267 carries and 51 receptions in 15 games as a rookie. Any reduction in passing-game work for Richardson would give some of the other backs more of a chance to contribute.
Acho, 22, likely projects inside in the Eagles’ 3-4 scheme. He spent the 2012 season on injured reserve with Cleveland. According to Mary Kay Cabot of the Cleveland Plain Dealer, a leg injury sidelined Acho, who was a sixth-round pick of the Browns last April. He recorded 280 tackles in four seasons at the University of Texas.
Player-for-player NFL trades don’t happen often, but the Eagles have now made a pair in a two-week span. On March 28, the Eagles dealt fullback Stanley Havili to Indianapolis for defensive lineman Clifton Geathers.