Howie Roseman has officially tied his job security to the right arm of Carson Wentz.
Okay, so maybe that isn’t necessarily the case since the Eagles have the second overall pick in the draft and the Rams could easily change their minds and take Wentz with the first overall pick. However, rumors that the Rams want Jared Goff with the first pick are considered solid enough to make Roseman and the Eagles comfortable with taking the second overall pick. There is no way the Eagles would have moved into the second slot if they didn’t know for sure that the Rams would take a specific player.
The real issue is the actual trade with the Browns that has left every Eagles fan feeling queasy.
Roseman and the Eagles have basically decided that a franchise quarterback is definitely worth the ransom that the Browns required of their pick. The Eagles acquired the No. 2 overall pick in the draft from the Browns for Philadelphia’s No. 8 overall pick, a third and fourth round selection in this draft (2016), next year’s first-round pick (2017) and a second-round pick in 2018. The Eagles also got a conditional fifth-round pick (a compensatory fourth-rounder, if available) from the Browns next season.
To move up six spots in the draft, is a good chunk of value to trade away and unlike most draft analysts and sports commentators, I do not subscribe to the idea that “any price is a good price for a franchise quarterback.” Especially if that quarterback is as much of a project as Carson Wentz is.
As a quarterback, Wentz is a good prospect. He is definitely worthy of a first round draft selection and is definitely someone who is worth betting on to be a great player and leader. Wentz has the physical skills, the arm talent and the mental decision-making to be an NFL quarterback.
It is something completely different to believe that Wentz is worth two first round picks, one second round pick, and one third round pick in the next three drafts. For someone who isn’t considered the greatest player in this draft or at his own position, the idea that Wentz could be worth that much is silly. The Browns, having a worse quarterback situation than the Eagles at this point, clearly realized that while running away with the Eagles picks as well.
Roseman has compromised the future significantly in his pursuit of a quarterback and even if the trade wasn’t as costly as it was, some still say the trade wasn’t worth it.
With Sam Bradford and Chase Daniel under contract for the next 2-3 years, it is puzzling why getting a rookie quarterback was so high on Roseman’s list for the Eagles. If the idea was to allow the rookie to sit out a year and watch Bradford, then Bradford clearly isn’t with that idea being the plan since he is expected by some to ask for a trade sooner than later.
There is really only one way for Eagles fans to look at this. Wentz is either going to become a franchise quarterback or he won’t. He will become worth compromising the future for or he won’t. Either way, Roseman’s legacy in this league is tied to Wentz; no question about it. Let’s hope Roseman looks like the smartest guy in the room if or when his plan comes to fruition. There is no turning back now.
Add The Sports Daily to your Google News Feed!
