The Philadephia Eagles are rumored to be making a move for Carson Wentz, with a possible trade up to the top of the draft to grab the man they believe will be their franchise quarterback.
For weeks, there have been rumors connecting the Eagles to the North Dakota State quarterback. Those have grown in intensity as the draft nears, and Eagles owner Jeff Lurie has been more vocal about the need for a franchise quarterback.
"We're still looking for a third quarterback, somewhere in the draft, like we used to do," Lurie said last month (via Jimmy Kempski of PhillyVoice[1]). "We would always, each year, or every other year, try to draft a quarterback. At some point that'll probably continue as long as there's quality throughout the draft, and you can identify how you want to develop a quarterback over time. It's not somebody who has to step in (immediately), then hopefully we can find somebody throughout the draft."
It's not likely that Wentz will still be around when the Eagles pick eighth overall in next month's draft, but they are still determined to get him somehow, reported NFL.com's Lance Zierlein.
"Make no mistake about it, I still think the Eagles first and foremost are trying to find a way to get Carson Wentz," Zierlein said (via NJ.com[2]). "I know Doug Pederson loves him. I know that from people behind the scenes, in the know. That's who he wants and that's who he likes. It's just going to be tough."
Unlike last year, when Eagles coach Chip Kelly was reportedly enamored with Marcus Mariota but couldn't swing a trade to the top end of the draft to get him, this year there could be a path to Carson Wentz. The Tennessee Titans are reportedly putting their top pick on the trading block, and though the price would be high, it would ensure that the Eagles get their man this time.
Previous reports also indicated that the Philadelphia Eagles might be able to swing a trade with the Cleveland Browns for the No. 2 overall pick.
The Eagles are reportedly eyeing North Dakota State QB Carson Wentz in draft https://t.co/tkududzM4M pic.twitter.com/PO4uCPyJPp[3][4]
— Sports Illustrated (@SInow) April 8, 2016[5]
Lance Zierlein[6] — before he reported that the Eagles may be moving up to the Titans' pick — had actually predicted that the Browns and Eagles could strike a deal.
"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," Zierlein quoted an NFC executive.
The Eagles reportedly have a preference among the quarterbacks in this draft, but may not be able to land him https://t.co/l8f1ZfRYxY[7]
— ProFootballTalk (@ProFootballTalk) April 8, 2016[8]
It could be worth it, however. Wentz is seen as the best quarterback in the draft, ESPN[9] found in a poll of scouts across the league.
"[Wentz's] biggest strengths are toughness, athleticism for his size and ability to stand in there and deliver the ball down the field with pressure," said one offensive coordinator.
If the rumors are true, then the Philadelphia Eagles would need to pay a high price to land Carson Wentz. The Titans are reportedly asking a hefty sum for a team willing to take their top pick, and the Eagles are already without a second-round pick this year. And after already sinking $34 million in guaranteed money to free agents Sam Bradford and Chase Daniel this offseason, the Eagles may simply not have the resources for Carson Wentz.
[Photo by Michael Chang/Getty Images]
References
- ^ Jimmy Kempski of PhillyVoice (www.phillyvoice.com)
- ^ NJ.com (www.nj.com)
- ^ https://t.co/tkududzM4M (t.co)
- ^ pic.twitter.com/PO4uCPyJPp (t.co)
- ^ April 8, 2016 (twitter.com)
- ^ Lance Zierlein (www.nfl.com)
- ^ https://t.co/l8f1ZfRYxY (t.co)
^April 8, 2016 (twitter.com)- ^ ESPN (espn.go.com)
Source → Philadelphia Eagles Rumors: Team Sees Carson Wentz As Their Next Franchise Quarterback, May Trade Up To Top Of The Draft To Get Him
