Wide receiver Golden Tate heading from Lions to Eagles

2:07 PM ET

The Detroit Lions have traded wide receiver Golden Tate to the Philadelphia Eagles for a third-round pick.

Tate signed with the Lions in free agency before the 2014 season -- the first big splash signing of the Jim Caldwell era -- and immediately became the team's most consistent receiver. He has had 90 receptions in each of his four seasons with the Lions and was a 1,000-yard receiver in three of those years. This year, Tate is on pace for reaching both of those markers again, with 44 catches and 517 yards with three touchdowns.

The 30-year-old Tate is also one of the best yards-after-catch receivers in the league with 285 yards after the catch -- No. 13 in the league, but No. 3 among receivers.

Eagles quarterback Carson Wentz and Tate tweeted their excitement about the trade.

Let's roll my man! Excited to compete with ya! #flyeaglesfly @ShowtimeTate https://t.co/Cy1pARU7HZ
— Carson Wentz (@cj_wentz) October 30, 2018

Tate is in the final year of the five-year contract he signed with the Lions and by dealing him for a third-round pick, Detroit essentially gets back the likely compensatory pick they would have netted had he left in free agency after the season.

The defending champion Eagles are 4-4 and in second place behind the Redskins in the NFC East. Philadelphia has been looking for a receiver to complement Alshon Jeffery since Mike Wallace went down with a broken leg Week 2.

The Lions (3-4) appeared to be in acquisition mode when they acquired defensive tackle Damon Harrison from the Giants Oct. 24.

Information from ESPN's Michael Rothstein and Tim McManus was used in this report.

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