Darren Sproles moving to Eagles

— -- Running back Darren Sproles, who Wednesday expressed a desire to be released by the New Orleans Saints, will be traded to the Philadelphia Eagles, a league source tells ESPN NFL Insider Adam Schefter.

The Saints will receive a fifth-round draft pick from the Eagles in return, the source said Thursday.

Sproles told ESPN's Josina Anderson on Wednesday that he would rather be released by the Saints than traded.

"I don't know where they would send me because I have no control over it, and I want to be able to pick [a team]," Sproles said.

The Saints decided to trade, instead of release, Sproles because there was so much interest from other teams when he was shopped as trade bait, a source told Schefter.

Sproles was one of the Saints' most dynamic offensive weapons the past three seasons after he signed as a free agent from the San Diego Chargers, with a total of 1,067 rushing yards, 1,981 receiving yards and 21 touchdowns. He set an NFL single-season record for all-purpose yards with 2,696 in 2011.

However, Sproles played in only about 33 percent of the Saints' offensive snaps during the 15 games in which he was active last season. And his numbers in 2013 (220 rushing yards, 71 receptions for 604 yards, 4 total touchdowns) were slightly down from past seasons.