Eagles can learn from the Carson Wentz saga as they ponder their next move at QB| Opinion
Russell Wilson isn't walking through the door of the Eagles' NovaCare Complex. Neither is Deshaun Watson, Aaron Rodgers or Jimmy Garoppolo.
Look no further than Carson Wentz to understand why, in a sort of reverse-psychology way.
The Eagles traded Wentz to Indianapolis a little more than a year ago. In return, the Eagles got a third-round pick in 2021 and a first-round pick in 2022.
Without Wentz, the Eagles went 9-8 and made the playoffs behind a younger, cheaper quarterback in Jalen Hurts.
With Wentz, the Colts also went 9-8 but missed the playoffs. Recently, ESPN reported that Wentz's future in Indy "looks bleak," and that he'll either be released or traded next month.
What does that have to do with the Eagles? Well, Philadelphia is at a crossroads heading into the NFL scouting combine that begins next week.
Everything about their crucial offseason begins with how they answer this question: Who's the quarterback in 2022?
And the combine is where those plans start coming into focus. Eagles general manager Howie Roseman will be busy not only scouting draft picks, but he will also be meeting with player agents and GMs from other teams, possibly planting the seeds for free-agent signings and/or trades when the new league year begins March 16.
On one hand, the Eagles seem well-positioned to address their most pressing needs – defensive line, secondary, linebacker – with three first-round draft picks (Nos. 15, 16 and 19). They are also well-positioned to address other areas of need in free agency. They're currently $21 million under the salary cap with the possibility of increasing that total with roster cuts and contract restructuring.
That is different from years past, when the Eagles were cash-strapped to the point they were taking chances on veterans on one-year prove-it type deals. More often than not, they didn't prove it.
On the other hand, the Eagles can't address those needs if they decide they need a new starting quarterback.
This is considered a weak draft for quarterbacks. And if the Eagles are not getting someone ready to become a franchise QB in Year One, they're better off with Hurts rather than taking a step back to develop someone else.
The other option is to trade at least two of their first-round draft picks for an established quarterback. Sure, they could go after Seattle's Wilson, but he's 33 and coming off a season in which he threw for 3,113 yards in 14 games, 31 yards fewer than Hurts in 15 games.
Perhaps Wilson has already reached his ceiling, while Hurts, at 23, has room for improvement. Of course, Hurts has to improve. He completed just 61.3% of his passes last season. Better accuracy, combined with his running ability, would make a big difference.
The Eagles could also pursue Rodgers, who's coming off an MVP season. But Rodgers is 38 and eligible for free agency in 2023. That's a big risk for someone who might just stay for one season.
Garoppolo doesn't appear to be a major step up from Hurts. And Watson is facing 22 civil lawsuits for alleged sexual misconduct, not to mention a likely NFL suspension.
Any of those four quarterbacks would eat up a large portion of the Eagles' salary cap. Rodgers' cap hit, for example, is $46.7 million in 2022. Hurts is still on his rookie contract and counts just $1.6 million against the cap.
A big-ticket QB would prevent the Eagles from signing a wide receiver, such as Chris Godwin, Allen Robinson, Davante Adams or Mike Williams. It would also prevent them from using their draft picks to improve other positions.
"(We can help Hurts develop) by surrounding him with really good players, players who continue to grow," Roseman said in January. "That's a huge part of developing – they grow. How they are in their second year is not how they are going to be in year four, five, six and seven."
Back to the Colts. If they trade or release Wentz, they would still need a quarterback – their fifth different QB in five seasons. That will cost draft capital whether they draft one or trade for one.
Except they don't have a first-round pick this year because they traded that to the Eagles ... for Wentz.
The lesson here is the Eagles are better off finding out if they have the right quarterback before paying heavily for the wrong one.
Contact Martin Frank at mfrank@delawareonline.com. Follow on Twitter @Mfranknfl.