Backup QBs the Eagles missed on who are probably better options than Fields or Pickett
The 'bring Justin Fields to Philadelphia' bandwagon is adding passengers seemingly by the minute, but should it?
Some of you may not remember this, but it's worth mentioning due to our current state of affairs. Once upon a time, the 2021 NFL Draft to be exact, the Philadelphia Eagles were on the clock with the tenth-overall selection, and there was some drama brewing as the clock was ticking.
DeVonta Smith was the reigning AP College Football Player of the Year and most recent Heisman Trophy winner. He was available and staring a wide receiver-needy franchise in the face. There was also a contingent of the fan base that wasn't sold on Jalen Hurts. They wanted Philly to select Justin Fields to create some friendly QB competition.
Fast forward to the present. An almost-similar conversation is brewing, somewhat. Jalen Hurts was an MVP finalist in 2022. He was the favorite to win the award after the Birds outlasted the Buffalo Bills in overtime to improve their record to 10-1 last season. Then came the collapse.
Some of the fan base has turned on him again. Justin Fields has re-entered the conversation but not as competition for Philly's starting gig. Fields is on our minds because there's been a discussion about Philly needing a backup plan.
Before we get to backup plans, let's discuss 'backup quarterbacks'. Philly is void of a legitimate option following Marcus Mariota's departure. No, we aren't willing to bestow that honor on Tanner McKee yet. That's another story for another day and another reason why Fields has become so interesting.
The Chicago Bears own the first-overall selection in the 2024 NFL Draft thanks to an earlier deal made with the Carolina Panthers, and one theory is they may trade Fields to another franchise and use that pick to select a quarterback, possibly Caleb Williams.
Now understand this. Jalen's job in Philly is secure for now, but thanks to guys like Daniel Jeremiah and Albert Breer, there were some calls for the Eagles to execute a trade to bring Fields in as his backup. Just tune into 94 WIP-FM if you have a moment. You'll certainly hear a few more calls, literally. Then, it happened. We learned the Eagles executed a trade with the Pittsburgh Steelers to land Kenny Pickett.
Was trading for Fields Philly's best option? That's debatable. Is Pickett the guy Philly needs? That too is a headscratcher. We can make reasonable arguments for and against both theories, but discussing why it isn't is the more intriguing discussion. The problem is the better and equally impressive options are off the table.
Don't worry. Howie Roseman is on the job and has made some solid additions already. Philly will find someone, but are the better options off of the table? Let's look at a few.