Following the trade of Carson Wentz earlier this offseason, most figured the Philadelphia Eagles had settled their quarterback situation.
A second-round pick in 2020, Jalen Hurts looked darn good in replacing a mistake-prone Wentz as a rookie. Meanwhile, Philadelphia avoided adding real competition for Hurts in free agency — opting to sign backup Joe Flacco to a short-term deal.
This narrative has now given in to suggestions that general manager Howie Roseman and Co. are actually looking for an upgrade. Recently, reports indicated that Philadelphia still had interest in a Deshaun Watson trade despite the numerous sexual assault allegations that have been levied in his direction.
Outside of a shocking trade for Watson, it seems like the Philadelphia Eagles are going to turn to the 2021 NFL Draft for either an upgrade over Hurts or to find some competition. If so, these are their three best options.
Eagles trade up for a quarterback
It’s an interesting scenario to look at. Philadelphia was involved in what can be considered a three-team trade with the San Francisco 49ers and Miami Dolphins back in March. In said trade, the Eagles moved down from the sixth pick to 12th overall while acquiring a 2022 first-round selection.
At first glance, this might seem to suggest that Philadelphia has no interest in adding a quarterback in Round 1. That’s especially true with the first three picks in the 2021 NFL Draft all slated to be signal-callers. Even then, there’s a scenario that suggests either Justin Fields or Trey Lance drop come Day 1 of the annual event.
If that were to happen, there’s every reason to believe an always-active Roseman could pull the trigger on a trade-up for one of the two quarterbacks. Philadelphia is also said to be high on Fields and Lance, both of whom would likely eventually unseat Hurts as the Eagles’ starter.
Philadelphia Eagles nab Kellen Mond
The other option here would be for the Eagles to use their second-round selection (37th overall) on Kellen Mond. The former Texas A&M quarterback has been ascending the draft board in a big way this spring. In fact, the New England Patriots are apparently infatuated with the possibility of landing him.
Right now, there’s a chance any team looking to draft Mond would have to trade up to the bottom of the first round. This could actually be an ideal scenario in that said team would have a fifth-year option on his rookie contract. Those selected outside of Round 1 are given standard four-year contracts. The question here is whether Philadelphia even thinks Mond would be an upgrade over Hurts. If not, spending a high-round pick on him wouldn’t make much sense.
Eagles find mid-round gem in 2021 NFL Draft
This seems to be the likeliest scenario for Philadelphia. It already boasts a talented young quarterback. Meanwhile, Flacco could step in should Hurts prove that he’s not yet ready to be a full-time starter. This scenario would include Roseman and Co. looking for a potential mid-round steal.
Stanford’s Davis Mills is now viewed as a third-round prospect despite seeing limited time as a starter during his college football career. He’s also a prototypical quarterback prospect, something that has to be taken into account given Roseman’s history. Florida’s Kyle Trask and Georgia’s Jamie Newman are two other options who could be considered project quarterback prospects in the mid rounds.
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