Rumor: NFC executive thinks Eagles could try to trade up for QB Carson Wentz

It was around this time last year where Eagles fans were desperate for the team to figure out a way to trade up in the draft to select quarterback Marcus Mariota. The 18-spot jump proved to be an impossible feat, and the apple of Chip Kelly's eye landed in Tennessee. A year later, Kelly is in San Francisco and the Eagles appear to be happy with Sam Bradford as their quarterback for the 2016 season. According to at least one NFC executive, that might not stop the Eagles from trying to make the jump to 2nd overall a year later to try and acquire their quarterback of the future: North Dakota State's Carson Wentz. NFL.com's Lance Zierlein with the story. 

"Don't be surprised if a team like the Eagles makes a really strong move up the board to get (Carson) Wentz. I don't think he's worth it, but I think they do. Everyone thinks you have to move ahead of Cleveland, but (Browns Chief Strategy Officer Paul DePodesta) will want to get as many picks as possible out of this draft. It wouldn't surprise me if a team moved directly to Cleveland's spot for Wentz." — NFC Executive

Zierlein provided his own rationale for why this rumor may have some legs to it. 

The Eagles clearly need a QB and their trade up from No. 13 to No. 8 gets them closer to being able to move up for that piece, if they choose to. If they only have eyes for Wentz, then it could become very prohibitive to move up the board; however, if Cal QB Jared Goff were to be in play for the Eagles as well, it isn't much of a stretch to believe they could move up the few slots they would need to pick Goff. I believe Wentz is the more highly valued of the two QBs.

It's interesting that this is something that an opposing executive may consider a possibility. When asked about drafting a quarterback with the 8th pick in the draft at the NFL owners meetings, Doug Pederson seemed taken aback about doing so after locking up Sam Bradford and signing Chase Daniel during the offseason. He also mentioned he would not be attending Wentz's pro day later this week. 

As a counterpoint to that, trading up for Wentz is not technically picking a quarterback with the 8th pick. The Eagles would likely need to move towards the top of the draft to land the perceived top prospect at that position. Wentz has been lauded for his physical tools, but will almost certainly be making a major adjustment in terms of the competition he would be facing after attending North Dakota State. The Eagles could provide such an environment for a quarterback to develop without the pressure of having to step in as a day one starter, given what's already on the depth chart. Both Pederson and owner Jeffrey Lurie have mentioned wanting to select a quarterback at some point in the 2016 Draft. Making this type of jump in the draft to do so would almost certainly be one of the more drastic moves made in what has already been a very active Eagles offseason. 

Somers Price is a contributor for Eagledelphia.com and can be followed on Twitter @somersprice