When it was announced that Robert Griffin III would be heading to the Browns, many began to speculate about what could happen to Cleveland’s draft plan. Would they be more inclined to trade down with a team who possess a pressing need at Quarterback?
Days after an NFC Executive told NFL.COM not to be surprised “if a team like the Eagles makes a really strong move up the board to get (Carson) Wentz” and Eagles personnel told the media that they would like to draft a Quarterback, people began to wonder if now that the Browns have a capable starter, there would be more reason to believe such a trade could occur. The smart answer would be absolutely not however things aren’t always that simple and the NFL is always springing surprises. But if we’re to go by logic only, it would be an incredibly risky move by the birds for a multitude of reasons.
The Eagles have already splashed out a lot of money on Quarterbacks this off-season, paying both Sam Bradford and Chase Daniel. Eliminating an urgent need at Quarterback for this team. The worst case scenario would be Sam Bradford getting injured and Chase Daniel starting (which he’s more than capable of doing) but even in that scenario, the Bradford contract isn’t going to cost the Eagles a lot to discard after the 2016 season.
The best case scenario is that Bradford has a successful season and earns his stripes as the teams Quarterback of the future with Daniel behind him. It’s not as if the Eagles have spent a total of $56M over two years on these contracts to then trade away key players for a player who won’t realistically be making an impact for at least one year and potentially more depending on Bradford’s play. Even worse, it would most likely create more holes to fill. How are they going to fill those holes without a second round pick whilst also somehow finding a starting CB, LB, OL and potentially both a running back and a safety.
Then of course, there are the stakes. Many seem to be comparing the situation to when the Packers drafted Aaron Rodgers in 2005…the difference between the two however is huge. In his four year stint at North Dakota, the 24 year old threw just 621 passes. Rodgers on the other hand entered the draft with just two years of College experience, having thrown 665 passes. Without mentioning how superior both Alex Smith and Aaron Rodgers were in their College days in comparison, it’s clear that the two are very different..even if they seem similar in physical attributes.
The Packers knew that they would be drafting the long-term replacement of Brett Favre, the Eagles aren’t looking for a replacement for Sam Bradford..in fact, they’re looking for a Quarterback to learn under him and grow into a starter should the opportunity arise.
It’s important to remember that the Quarterbacks in this years draft are not what they were last year or even the year beforehand. There’s so much pressure to find “elite” quarterbacks these days that we end up trying to make these players seem a lot better than they actually are because of an impatience and desire to win. We put our beliefs into the potential of what a player could become as opposed to what he is currently..and if the Eagles trade up to take what now would be a third string Quarterback, not only are they losing key assets to the team, but it’s saying “this is our future guy”.
If you’re willing to trade up to the second overall pick, it’s laying your neck on the line and also sending a clear message to the other Quarterbacks on the roster. Uncertainty and unsettlement at the position is the last thing the Eagles need after securing Sam Bradford’s services for the next two seasons.
The depth at the Quarterback position in this years draft is great, but that doesn’t mean that every team should be looking at these guys..you don’t want to jump out of the pan and into the fire.
There are plenty of other prospects deeper into the draft who tick the same boxes as Wentz, meaning the birds wouldn’t need to risk passing up on a talent such as Jalen Ramsey, Myles Jack, Ezekiel Elliot or Ronnie Stanley. All of whom would add both starting talent and depth at a position that needs it.
Whilst the rumors will continue to fly and speculation will continue to grow, that’s all it really is until the Eagles are on the clock. If after such an impressive Offseason Howie Roseman decides to trade up to take a “project” Quarterback, the axe will come down quickly if it backfires. Accountability is something owner Jeffery Lurie continues to talk about..and Howie Roseman would have to take all of it if the Eagles gambled on trading up for Carson Wentz.
It’s a huge risk and it’s a huge statement to make. If the Eagles had not retained Bradford and just signed Daniel, this would seem much more likely..but with a starting Quarterback signed and a worthy backup in place, it almost seems crazy to trade away a three course meal for one slice of dessert.
