PHILADELPHIA -- Jordan Matthews was the most consistent Philadelphia Eagles wide receiver for his first three seasons in the NFL and became fast friends with Carson Wentz after the team picked the quarterback No. 2 overall in the 2016 NFL Draft.

Matthews was a recognizable face for the Eagles, and while his production was never prolific, he averaged 75 catches for 891 yards per season and caught 19 touchdowns. But the Birds dealt him to Buffalo in exchange for Ronald Darby during training camp, and he missed the team's Super Bowl run.

In the Eagles' success, though, his former teammates didn't forget about him. Wide receiver Nelson Agholor said he spoke to Matthews from Minneapolis on FaceTime with Wentz and fellow wideouts Alshon Jeffery and Torrey Smith in the week before Super Bowl LII.

"He was being Jordan, just a blessed human being who thought so much about us to give us all his words of encouragement," Agholor said last week.

At the time, the Matthews-Darby trade seemed like one that could backfire on the Eagles. Matthews and Wentz were close friends, and Matthews was the most-targeted player on the Eagles roster in 2016. He was steady in the slot and a player Wentz could rely on when he was in trouble.

Darby, meanwhile, was coming off a subpar sophomore season, and the Eagles had paid a heavy price for him by also sending a draft pick to the Bills with Matthews.

In the end, the trade worked out for the Eagles. Though Darby was injured in the season opener, he was a consistent starter on the outside and helped turn the Eagles cornerback group from a weakness entering the season to a strength at the end of it. At wide receiver, Agholor stepped into the slot receiver role in Matthews' absence and had the best season of his young career with 62 catches for 768 yards and eight touchdowns.

Matthews caught 25 passes for 282 yards and a touchdown in 10 games for Buffalo.

The Matthews trade was a product of the NFL's business-like nature, but Agholor said his former teammate "shared a moment" with them during their call in Minnesota. During Agholor's rocky second season in Philadelphia, Matthews was there for him, and it's something that's had a lasting impact on him.

"Jordan is a blessed guy," Agholor said. "This is for him also, even though he wasn't here because at the end of the day, as a rookie, I was here with Jordan Matthews, and he had my back every single day. That's my guy."

--@danieljtgallen