Best Early options and theories about the Eagles top-ten draft choice
Trading the 10th pick could add another superstar to the Philadelphia Eagles roster.
As Philadelphia Eagles fans know, trading picks for established players can pay off with immediate results. Had the Eagles drafted a receiver in 2022, it may have taken them years to come into their own as an NFL star, and that’s never a guarantee. Thankfully, they instead opted to trade for A.J. Brown, and that’s a huge reason why they’re playing in Super Bowl LVII.
Brown set the franchise record with 1,496 receiving yards in 2022 and was the first wideout the franchise has seen exceed 1,000 yards receiving and over ten touchdowns since 2014. Might they travel a similar path this offseason?
There are few players worth trading a first-round pick for, and only a few positions worth using a top-ten selection for at that, but if guys like Jalen Carter (Georgia Bulldogs) and Will Anderson Jr. (Alabama Crimson Tide) are off of the board, which is highly likely, it makes more sense to move back or trade for someone like Carolina Panthers edge rusher, Brian Burns. There aren’t many top-ten draft choices that are better than he is already. Also, the move makes sense for both Philadelphia and Carolina.
Burns is due for a contract extension following the 2023 season, and the Panthers and Burns were heavily involved in trade rumors at the 2022 trade deadline. While the Panthers allegedly turned down two first-round picks for Burns at the deadline, it is possible that the mystery team was a contender.
Carolina, a team in transition, could add a game-changer with the tenth pick. The more-established Eagles would still have their other first-round draft choice and maybe the possibility of adding more collateral in later rounds.
Burns is set to earn $16 million in 2023, and the 24-year-old’s extension will likely be worth close to $25 million annually, as he has amassed 38 sacks in his first four seasons in the NFL. If Carolina decides his cap number doesn’t aid them in their rebuild, moving him in exchange for the 10th overall pick could be a move worth exercising.