Under-the-radar free-agent QBs Philadelphia Eagles should consider, avoid

Will any of these quarterbacks land with the Philadelphia Eagles?

What if the Philadelphia Eagles actually traded Gardner Minshew? What then? Might the Birds explore what’s available in free agency?

In weighing the value of potential backup quarterbacks the Eagles can land in free agency, it’s always wise to look at guys who have done the job successfully, guys like Jacoby Brissett, Tyrod Taylor, and Ryan Fitzpatrick for instance who we recently reviewed.

A former MVP might be available (Cam Newton). He has been a shell of himself over the past few seasons but that’s what the market looks like right now. We can even throw Carson Wentz’s name on the list. Just kidding… But, seriously. the point is this. If Minshew is moved, the Eagles will have options to replace them. Here are a few, beginning with one of the more well-known who spent 2021 with the Chicago Bears.

Andy Dalton might not be as old as ‘Fitzmagic’ but he definitely lands in the same bridge QB category. Using the term ‘game manager’ can, at times, be offensive, but it isn’t always a bad thing to be known as one.

Dalton is 7-8 in his past two seasons as a starter. He had some pretty strong pieces around him in Dallas during the 2020 season with the Cowboys, but he also had a much worse arsenal of weapons in Chicago as a member of the Bears.

Dalton can keep your offense in rhythm and stay on time through the air. He can also stall drives with poor decision-making. It’s fair to say that he is consistently inconsistent.

At the end of the day, he can stay on the field and give you a better chance than some of the other options in free agency. However, he also costs a lot just to be a backup. There is little to no chance he ends up in Philly. Verdict: Avoid if you’re the Eagles. Like Fitzpatrick, this makes little sense for both the Eagles and Dalton.