Philadelphia Eagles: Time To Draft A Quarterback

Dec 14, 2014; Philadelphia, PA, USA; Philadelphia Eagles quarterback Nick Foles (9) during warmups before game against the Dallas Cowboys at Lincoln Financial Field. Mandatory Credit: Eric Hartline-USA TODAY Sports

The Philadelphia Eagles, like many teams, have a big question at quarterback.

The starter is clearly Nick Foles. After three years with the Eagles, Foles remains an enigma. He demolished almost every NFL record for a QB after taking over from the injured Micheal Vick in 2013, yet his 2014 season was a huge disappointment ending in injury.

Foles’ erratic play has led many analysts to believe that the Eagles may look elsewhere at the QB position, with Oregon QB Marcus Mariota being the name linked most frequently to the Eagles and former Oregon Head Coach Chip Kelly.

However, drafting a QB in the first round is no guarantee of success as the best QBs can be found throughout the draft. If you take a look at the eight teams competing in the Divisional Round of the NFL Playoffs this year, there were three players picked with the first pick (Manning, Newton and Luck); two selected at the end of the first round (Flacco and Rodgers); one third rounder (Wilson); one sixth rounder (Brady) and one undrafted free agent (Romo).

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Whilst picking near the top of the draft gives you the best chance, the facts show that there are bargains to be had throughout the draft. The trick is for a player to land in a situation that suits them. For Aaron Rodgers and the Green Bay Packers, the best option for Rodgers was to sit and learn behind an incumbent starter in Brett Favre. For Andrew Luck of the Indianapolis Colts, he found himself surrounded by a cast of wide receivers at a team that had suffered as a result of Peyton Manning‘s injury the season before.

So, where do the Eagles stand in terms of their readiness to draft a QB? In Foles, they have a capable QB who could hold the fort for a season or two whilst a rookie learnt his trade. This could give Foles the competition he needs to ensure that he performs at his best, whilst Foles has shown himself to be mature and professional enough to act as a suitable role model for any youngster. The option of drafting and “sitting” a rookie QB could work for the Eagles, if they have the faith in Foles to hold the line.

Equally, if the Eagles are able to re-sign star wide receiver Jeremy Maclin, they would be able to team a rookie QB with a top wide receiver as well as one of the best running backs in the league in LeSean McCoy. Second year receivers Jordan Matthews and Joshua Huff also show signs of becoming good players at this level, whilst Riley Cooper is a solid red zone threat. It would seem that the Eagles have the supporting cast ready to help a new QB.

In my opinion, the time is right to draft a QB. The Eagles have the luxury of being able to choose to start or sit a rookie QB, dependent on the skill set and readiness of the player that they draft. However, as many experts state, this doesn’t seem to be a great draft for QBs. Behind Jameis Winston and Mariota, there is little else other than developmental projects like Brett Hundley.

However, the draft can be a complete lottery. It may be worth taking a gamble on a player like Hundley and allowing him to learn behind a solid offensive line and a decent starter in Foles. The likelihood is that Mariota will end up out of Chip Kelly’s reach, however I would not be surprised to see the Eagles make big moves to get a QB this off season.

Next: Five Rookies The Eagles Should Look Into

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