The Eagles have already made a number of deals at the quarterback position this offseason, and chances are, they aren't done.
Jeffrey Lurie, Howie Roseman and Doug Pederson have all expressed interest in drafting a quarterback when the NFL Draft rolls around next month.
But with everyone expecting to take a developmental prospect in the later rounds, it is worth wondering if they should cash in their eighth overall pick, and potentially more, for Jared Goff or Carson Wentz.
Yes, the team gave Sam Bradford a two-year extension and a total of $26 million guaranteed. But Bradford is far from a sure thing. His extensive injury history and up-and-down play during his NFL career should not prevent the Eagles from pursuing a top quarterback prospect.
Same goes for Chase Daniel. A career backup, who the Eagles probably overpaid for in order to keep Pederson happy, Daniel doesn't even begin to scratch the surface of what Goff or Wentz can be if they are able to reach their full potential. And therein lies the argument for taking one of the rookies.
The NFL is a quarterback-driven league. Yes, it's cliche, but that's only because it is true. In a league of haves and have-nots, the teams with elite QBs are the teams that are perennial contenders. So if you don't have one, no resource should be withheld in your search for one. Top-notch defenses have won championships, but only two have won a ring in this millennium.
Which brings us back to the Eagles current situation. Since the departure of Donovan McNabb, there hasn't been much stability behind center. Yes, Michael Vick and Nick Foles each played well in 2010 and 2013, respectively, but neither one was the opening day starter. The Eagles have run through Kevin Kolb, Vick, Foles and Bradford in the past six seasons and unless Bradford can put things together in 2015, the carousel will continue to spin.
So with the team holding a Top-10 pick, the time is right to go after a blue chip QB. A team that expects to compete in the NFL very rarely finds itself with a commodity as valuable as the number eight pick in a draft that is top heavy. So if the Eagles want to maximize this rare opportunity, now is the time to pull the trigger and go after a potential franchise quarterback. No matter the cost, the team needs to find an answer at quarterback before it can take a step toward contention.
Social Media Stars
Ron Jaworski just said on @975TheFanatic than Carson Wentz got a 40 on the Wonderlic.
— Jimmy Kempski (@JimmyKempski) March 24, 2016
Personally, I believe the Wonderlic is a complete waste of time. There's very little correlation between a prospect's score and the way they perform in the NFL. With that being said, it is nice to know Wentz has a solid head on top of his shoulders. I'm not as impressed with his score as I am relieved he didn't score a 17.
RG3 deal with the Browns: two years, $15 million. Signing bonus of $3.5 million with $6.75 million in total guarantees.
— Mike Garafolo (@MikeGarafolo) March 24, 2016
Next to this, the Daniel deal makes a lot more sense and is very stomachable. Maybe the going rate for high-end, backup quarterbacks has risen significantly in the past few months.
Prospect Rewind
Every Monday, from now until the Draft, I will post an excerpt of a scouting report of a current Eagle on Monday, then reveal the mystery Bird in my Thursday column.
"Massive prospect slowly turning into a complete tight end. Former defensive lineman and a good athlete that breaks down well, blocks with a wide base and plays with leverage. Strong at the point of attack and gets movement from his run blocks. Uses his body to shield away opponents, displays excellent focus and catches the ball well. Moves well for such a big man and displays a surprising ability to go up against athletic opponents and come down with the pass.
"Not quick off the snap, nifty and does more rumbling than running.
"The arrow is pointing up for him and a player with a good amount of upside to his game."
Quick Hits
- I was really impressed with the Eagles signing of Rueben Randle last week. It's not too often you can sign a 24-year-old wide receiver, coming off an eight-touchdown season, to a one-year deal worth just over $1 million. That's 40 percent of what Miles Austin earned last year, for those of you keeping score at home.
- After three years of covering a guy who avoided press conferences like they were the plague, it is refreshing to hear consistent updates on the team from Pederson and Roseman throughout the offseason process. Pederson may tend to be a bit too honest, but the coach certainly means well. Hopefully he doesn't start to suffer from over-exposure.
Tucker Bagley is a columnist for Eagledelphia. Follow him on Twitter @tbagley515.
