Eagles mailbag: Should Eagles trade back for future picks?

 

We’re already a couple weeks into the 2022 league year and the NFL Draft is just over a month away.

Before you know it, the Eagles will be holding OTAs and getting ready for the season.

What offseason?

I’ll be in Palm Beach, Florida, this coming week, so make sure to check for my coverage from down there. Until then, let’s get to some mailbag question:

I got a few versions of this same question and it’s a really valid one. Based on Howie Roseman’s history in the draft, it’s pretty hard to believe that he’ll sit there at 15, 16 and 19 and just take three players. Not his style.

First, let’s not completely rule out the possibility of trading up. If the Eagles want to sneak up a few spots to land a top-10 player they see slipping, that’s always a possibility. But I’m a big fan of the idea of trading back to pick up an additional 2023 first-round pick. I imagine Roseman really likes the flexibility of having multiple first-rounds picks this year and if he gets the chance to do it again next year, it’ll be very tempting.

That flexibility is a big deal because it gives him the ammo to do pretty much anything in the first round. It keeps all options open. If the Eagles don’t love any of the quarterbacks in this class (which is considered to be a weaker one) and they end up running it back with Jalen Hurts in 2022, it’s understandable. But if Hurts doesn’t prove himself as a franchise QB this season, then having an extra first-round pick would give the Eagles options. They can see if there are more veteran QBs on the move next year (that seems to be all the rage in the league now) or they would have the ability to trade up in the draft if they fall in love with a QB next year.

Keep in mind that the Eagles have the 19th pick, which is right in front of the Steelers at 20. The Steelers need a QB so perhaps there’s a team that would want to jump in front of them. That would be an ideal situation for the Eagles and they could capitalize.

Sure, it’ll help. I get why so many fans are down on this deal. Pascal was not a big-name signing ... but he’s a functional player. Any additional target will help the quarterback. While it’ll help Hurts, the addition of Pascal could actually help the Eagles’ younger receivers like DeVonta Smith and Quez Watkins. Sure, Smith is already a better player than Pascal but Pascal has four years in the league and he has more experience with Nick Sirianni. The most veteran player in the receiver room last year was Greg Ward and even Smith admitted this offseason that a veteran would be helpful for him.

Yeah, I’d be very interested in DeVante Parker. In fact, I wrote about that possibility after the big Tyreek Hill trade.

The Dolphins are pretty deep at receiver now with Hill, Jaylen Waddle and Cedric Wilson. They also have TE Mike Gesicki. So Parker has been pushed down the depth chart and moving on from him would save the Dolphins around $3 million in cap space. I wouldn’t give up a Day 2 pick for him, but if the Eagles can acquire Parker for a Day 3 pick (fifth or sixth round), I’d do that in a heartbeat.

Parker is 29 now and he’s dealt with injuries and has been inconsistent. But he’s a big-bodied target who would be a great complement for Smith. Hey, it might not work, but if the Eagles could get him for a low pick, his salary isn’t high, so it would be worth the gamble.

The Eagles signed Alshon to a one-year, $9 million deal back in 2017. That initial contract was a pretty good one for the Eagles. There aren’t a ton of players who would fit that mold. One that might work is Jarvis Landry. Landry is 29 now and coming off a season where he missed five games because of injury. Before that, he’s been incredibly durable in his career. Landry is still on the open market and earlier this week reportedly fired his agent. So if options are limited, maybe he’d be willing to sign a one-year deal and hit the open market again in 2023.

The Eagles are in a good spot with Gardner Minshew because they don’t have to trade him and that’s probably been their message to other NFL teams. Basically, either give them something valuable or they’ll keep Minshew. That’s a great spot to be in because it really gives the Eagles all the leverage.

We’ll see how the rest of the QB landscape shakes out in the NFL, but Matt Ryan’s going to Indy doesn’t help. Indianapolis was reportedly a possible destination for Minshew. This season, Minshew has a base salary of $2.54 million in the final year of his contract. That’s a reasonable price for a solid backup quarterback. So the Eagles will happily keep him unless a team gives them what they want.

Nah, none of that stuff should have any bearing on whether or not the Eagles draft a quarterback. That really has to be independent. The QB position shouldn’t be treated like the others on a roster and the Eagles don’t treat it that way either. If they fall in love with a quarterback and believe that player is a much better option than Hurts going forward, they’ll try to draft him. If not, they won’t.

https://www.nbcsports.com/philadelphia/eagles/eagles-mailbag-should-eagles-trade-back-future-picks

What would it take for us to get a first next year though? Like in terms of pick value... Like what would a team have to give up to acquire 15 off of us?

18 minutes ago, UK_EaglesFan89 said:

What would it take for us to get a first next year though? Like in terms of pick value... Like what would a team have to give up to acquire 15 off of us?

i would say any team from dallas 24 to seahawks 40 could trade up to 15 giving a first next year in return. according to the trade value chart. 

This draft could be a huge talent influx......especially for a defense that really needs it.  Riddick and White were good signings, but the defense has an aging fletcher cox and brandon graham, a real need at safety and corner and could use a young, dominant LB.  Not to mention grabbing a Lindenbaum or another WR.

If we were talking about a team with 1 or 2 major needs, I would agree with trading one of the firsts.  But this team is in a great position to address all those needs and even trade up if need be.  

If they're going to try to load up for next year to possibly take a QB, then it's foolish because the eagles are a QB carousel and if they take a QB next year, he won't get the time to develop. It'll end up being a waste of draft picks.  

Grab the talent now, on both sides of the ball. Get Hurts more weapons, get talent with speed on defense.  They have the picks and some trade assets to get it done.

1 hour ago, birdman#12 said:

This draft could be a huge talent influx......especially for a defense that really needs it.  Riddick and White were good signings, but the defense has an aging fletcher cox and brandon graham, a real need at safety and corner and could use a young, dominant LB.  Not to mention grabbing a Lindenbaum or another WR.

If we were talking about a team with 1 or 2 major needs, I would agree with trading one of the firsts.  But this team is in a great position to address all those needs and even trade up if need be.  

If they're going to try to load up for next year to possibly take a QB, then it's foolish because the eagles are a QB carousel and if they take a QB next year, he won't get the time to develop. It'll end up being a waste of draft picks.  

Grab the talent now, on both sides of the ball. Get Hurts more weapons, get talent with speed on defense.  They have the picks and some trade assets to get it done.

yeah i don’t understand the idea of hedging you bet for another 1st next year incase hurts sucks… if he sucks he sucks try and get as much talent as you can to move forward! if they trade back i would like it for more 2-3 rounders this year i think it’s a pretty deep class at some of our positions of need. 

maybe trade up with one of the picks if a player falls a littler more then you thought and then if no one is there you’re super high on trade back a little with one or both of the other picks and pick up some more ammo.

5 hours ago, UK_EaglesFan89 said:

What would it take for us to get a first next year though? Like in terms of pick value... Like what would a team have to give up to acquire 15 off of us?

Our 1 this year for a 2 & 4 or 2 & 5 this year and 1 next year I would guess

I'm all for trading back to get more early picks this year. 

Look at the needs:

• High priority (1st round) - Starting corner, safety
• Priority (1st 2 days) - Rotational DE and DT to eventually replace BG and Cox
• Priority (1st 2 days) - Wide receiver
• Mid-round need - Big running back, back up tight end, better corner depth, better LB depth
• Late round upgrade - punter, back up OT so we can trade Dillard

I think trading up or down requires knowing who is available as the draft progresses.

Everything we hear about the draft, the mock drafts, the rumors are all speculation and opinions.  The actual needs that any given team has is determined by their GM and coaches.  What looks like obvious priorities to fans and media may not be what the teams actually are thinking.  How teams value players and positions also plays a big role, not to mention the current mindset when it comes to QBs.  

Teams don't develop QBs anymore.....they keep shooting for that "lightning in a bottle" guy and will overvalue QBs coming out. Or they're trading a boatload for a veteran with a ridiculous salary.  And then there is Howie's mystery priority list.

We all know Howie will be wheeling and dealing this year.......he just got too many toys to play with to sit and make selections.  But the biggest concern I have is him trying outsmart the rest of the NFL....being "unpredictable".  The eagles are in a really good position because of what he did last year....I just hope he doesn't sh-- the bed with all of it.

If, as many are saying, this QB class is weak, like as I heard an analyst on NFLN, the top guy this year would've been 5th or 6th last year, then you cannot take a QB this year. That would be a wasted pick because the talent level is just substandard. If the team decides they need a QB upgrade, then moving a pick for a 1st rounder into next year's isn't just a smart move, it's an absolutely necessary one. 

That's not just true for the QB position either. If the draft doesn't offer top prospects, as some drafts don't, then trading back for more chances this year to get OK-to-good prospects should be done in addition to securing an extra 1st rounder next year. Ultimately, it comes down to what the Eagles think they're looking at, and I hope they actually fully understand what they're seeing, and then choose wisely. Time will tell.

If it were me, I'd look to make a deal where I can trade back and receive an extra pick this year AND a first next year.  Question is, how far back would that have to be?  Best case scenario is that neither Detroit nor Seattle take a QB with their first picks, then either one or both of them are interested in trading up from their 2nd round slot to get ahead of Pittsburgh (who def needs a QB) and probably the Saints (who should be looking for a QB too).  Trading back from 15 to pick 34 or 40 (especially if there is competition for the pick, and the team trading up wants a QB) could net us an additional 2022 pick and a 2023 first.

Ideally we can do something like that, make 2 picks in the first round and then 2 second round picks and have that 2023 first in our back pocket.  But, as always, it takes two to tango.  If nobody is interested in making a big jump-up for one of these QBs, then oh well.  Best we could hope for after that would be a team targeting a specific player that they think will put them over the top next season and make the move.

In reality, the more likely scenarios are the Eagles trading up a handful of spots to get a player they covet (most likely a Dlineman) and then maybe trade back a few spots with one of their other first round picks.  For example, I could see Howie trading up from 15 to 10 and giving up their 2nd round pick to do so.  Then trading back from pick 19 to somewhere between pick 25 - 30 and receive a late 3rd round pick to help compensate for the 2nd rounder they gave up.  Although in this scenario, trading back into the 20's would be highly volatile because Howie's record for picking players in this area really, really sucks.

I do believe Howie will make an attempt to trade down with one of those first round picks ... it may be a bit tough to carry the cap hits of three players taken on day one.  

Gut feeling says he tries to trade up from 15 to grab an impact defensive player if one falls to 11 or 12 that he can do so with pick 83.  And will look for an opportunity to trade down from 16.  I just hope the latter involves a 2023 1st.  We would still have a great opportunity to add impact players with two first round picks and two second round picks (assuming we would land a 2022 2nd and 2023 1st in the trade down) and set us up to make a move for a QB next year if we end the upcoming season with as many questions about Hurts as we do now.  If he happens to show significant improvement then we are set to add more impact players next April with two 1s.  

6 hours ago, time2rock said:

I do believe Howie will make an attempt to trade down with one of those first round picks ... it may be a bit tough to carry the cap hits of three players taken on day one.  

Gut feeling says he tries to trade up from 15 to grab an impact defensive player if one falls to 11 or 12 that he can do so with pick 83.  And will look for an opportunity to trade down from 16.  I just hope the latter involves a 2023 1st.  We would still have a great opportunity to add impact players with two first round picks and two second round picks (assuming we would land a 2022 2nd and 2023 1st in the trade down) and set us up to make a move for a QB next year if we end the upcoming season with as many questions about Hurts as we do now.  If he happens to show significant improvement then we are set to add more impact players next April with two 1s.  

Agreed. I think there's very little chance he sits and does nothing. I think there's a very good chance he tries to trade back a little and a small chance that he tries to trade up. I'm not sure who he would trade up for but I'm thinking if someone started to fall a little? Maybe a Johnson or someone like that?