Just three years ago, the Philadelphia Eagles did the equivalent of investing in a reliable vehicle. Think about it, you’re a parent and you want your son or daughter to invest their hard earned money into not just a car that will get from one place to another, but one that defines fits the personality of the driver behind the wheel. You want a sure thing, you want a safe bet. For the Eagles organization, that investment was Carson Wentz.
He showed up in his rookie year and showed just how good he could be. His second year, Wentz undeniably was a player who could have won the league’s Most Valuable Player award, finishing behind Todd Gurley and Tom Brady. Like most things in life, nothing is a “sure thing.” Wentz became a car with a blown tire after biting a pothole. Nick Foles won the Eagles their first Superbowl in franchise history with Wentz in the garage for repair. Wentz was drafted to the Eagles to be the face of the organization. I would say that was absolutely the case his rookie year, but since, Foles’ has been the face of the Eagles. Now, Wentz is repaired and the best insurance policy at the quarterback position is now the face of the Jacksonville Jaguars. Dare I say, as an Eagles fan, to my Eagles faithful, we were spoiled! I love being spoiled, it meant Tom Brady had one less championship ring! Now, we look at who is here to be the insurance policy to Wentz with his recent, injury prone, track record.
Back to normality with a quarterback who does just what you want in a back up role. With Nate Sudfeld, I will be the first to state that the number two spot on the Philadelphia Eagles depth chart is not in a state of danger. While he is a relative unknown in the National Football League, he is someone who has yet to throw an interception in the regular season. In two years, Sudfeld has only played in two games, but managed to throw a touchdown. If we are keeping score, I refer back to my previous article about Nick Foles where I happened to mention a quarterback that Chip Kelly drafted, Matt Barkley. I’ll put it like this, Sudfeld is light years ahead of Barkley. To be clear, he is no Foles, but it’s not like back up quarterbacks are supposed to win the Superbowl. I look at Sudfeld for what he is, the guy the Eagles are supposed to rely on to win games if Carson Wentz cannot play. This is a reality.
At the beginning of this month, March 2019, the rumors surfaced that the Philadelphia Eagles wanted to bring in a veteran quarterback. It is March 18th and the only quarterbacks on the roster are Carson Wentz as the starter and Nate Sudfeld as the backup. I looked into a possible short list of quarterbacks left in free agency. As of this moment, the only ones I would entertain are Robert Griffin III, AJ McCarron, and Garrett Gilbert.
Now, when the Eagles say veteran, I think that of those three I stated, that points to Griffin. He would serve as a two or three on the Eagles roster and I am going to say something that I know people will disagree with: Griffin was the best back up quarterback in the NFL not named Nick Foles last season. As a three on the Baltimore Ravens, I absolutely thought the Ravens were right there with the Eagles as far as quarterback depth. There is a possibility that the Ravens bring back Griffin to back up Lamar Jackson because Joe Flacco is the starter with the Denver Broncos now, but that is the best option available in NFL free agency as of today.
When I saw AJ McCarron still available on the free agency sheet today, I thought first that he is still a young quarterback who can duel with Nate Sudfeld for the number two quarterback spot. I think because Sudfeld has been with the Philadelphia Eagles for the past two seasons and his familiarity with the Eagles offense under Mike Groh, he would still maintain his number two position on the depth chart, but McCarron would be worth the position battle. After all, the Eagles did sign Christian Hackenberg for a time. Has anyone witnessed Hackenberg in the Alliance of American Football? Yikes.
I want to take this opportunity to point at my favorite team in the Alliance of American Football, the Orlando Apollos. Why? I just really liked the city of Orlando. Simple really. Also, they were the first in the AAF to run “Philly Philly” for a touchdown. One more link to the Philadelphia Eagles is that Lito Sheppard is the defensive backs coach for the Apollos. Trivia over. The real reason I want to shout out to the Apollos is because of their quarterback, Garrett Gilbert. This is a player who would be a signing to be a sure number three on the Eagles quarterback depth chart, but he has looked stellar in the “developmental league to the NFL” as everyone describes the AAF. Of the three I brought up in free agency, he has shown that he is absolutely coachable, he would be cheap coming into the NFL on a developmental deal, and he could be an absolute diamond in the rough from the AAF to the NFL. Imagine that story! Get your next Kurt Warner in 2019.
There is absolutely a possibility that the Philadelphia Eagles shoot for a quarterback in the 2019 NFL draft. Just because earlier this month there were rumors circling around that the Eagles were looking for a veteran quarterback in free agency doesn’t mean that is going to happen. The Eagles aren’t going to use an early draft pick on a quarterback, but here are just a few that I would have my eyes opened for just in case that they are available in around the fifth or sixth round: Brett Rypien of Boise State, Jake Browning of Washington, Will Grier of West Virginia, and Easton Stick of North Dakota State University.
Brett Rypien is the nephew of Mark Rypien, a former Superbowl MVP quarterback for the division rivals of the Philadelphia Eagles, the Washington Redskins. Rypien did break the ten thousand yards passing barrier at Boise State. I think he is a no brainer in the fifth round if available and an absolute steal in the sixth round if on the selection board.
Jake Browning is a quarterback who had a great year when is was passing to John Ross at Washington. For those who have forgotten, Ross was a draft prospect who had ran a 4.22 40yrd sprint. If Browning were to get an opportunity to throw the football for the Philadelphia Eagles as a fifth or sixth round selection, that could possibly become a sight with DeSean Jackson.
Now, I will show some bias to Will Grier from West Virginia. I don’t think he will fall to the fifth round of the draft, but if he does, take him. He won’t be available in the sixth round of the draft, make that a lock. Grier was a Heisman candidate for most of this past college football season at West Virginia. Teams will jump at the opportunity to draft Grier.
Finally, I’m sure that Carson Wentz is in the ear of Doug Pederson and Howie Roseman regarding another quarterback from North Dakota State University, Easton Stick. Now, I do fear that we do adapt that “homer” mentality and draft from a school because it “worked before,” but if there is substance to this, make this pick in the sixth round. These quarterbacks from smaller universities usually don’t get drafted until deeper in the draft anyway, so if on the board in the sixth round, then make the pick and have a quarterback who could show something good in training camp.
More than anything, I am very excited to see how this explosive passing offense plays out. Carson Wentz will have Alshon Jeffrey, DeSean Jackson, Nelson Agholor, Zach Ertz, and Dallas Goedert as a receiving group alongside a mostly returning offensive line. Besides my own commentary of who can be added as depth at quarterback by free agency or draft, the biggest picks will land somewhere on the offensive line or at running back. I have good faith that Nate Sudfeld will be a functioning back up quarterback to Wentz, but as 2018 showed us on the way to a championship, which is the entire reason players play the game, sometimes you need to double down and make sure the back up plan is as good as “the plan.” A little position battle never hurt a team, it just made players tougher via competition.
Mandatory Credit: Ben Queen-USA TODAY Sports
