What if the Eagles Never Traded With the Cleveland Browns in 2016 Draft?
With the second overall pick in the 2016 NFL Draft, the Philadelphia Eagles selected Quarterback Carson Wentz out of North Dakota State.
Prior to the selection, the Eagles were not exactly in a position to choose a signal-caller with their original draft pick, which was 13th overall back in 2016. The Birds were able to trade draft capital and Byron Maxwell along with Kiko Alonso, in exchange for the eight pick from the Miami Dolphins. The trades did not stop here though.
The Eagles then swapped spots with the Cleveland Browns after giving up their newly acquired eight overall pick partnered with their third and fourth-rounder in 2016, along with their future first and second-round selections in 2017.
“It’s hard to be great if you don’t take some risks,” said Eagles GM Howie Roseman
At this point, the Eagles were fully expected to take a Quarterback. We all know the Eagles selected Wentz, who has a 35-29-1 record as the starting signal-caller in the NFL. Wentz’s 2017 campaign played a crucial role in helping the Eagles win the Super Bowl, so some fans speculate the draft pick was justifiable because of the championship. Since then, Wentz has a losing record as a starter.
If the Eagles would have stayed put at the eighth overall pick, it is tough to say who Howie Roseman would have selected at that spot. The Tennessee Titans drafted OT Jack Conklin out of Michigan State with the No. 8 pick in the actual draft, but we don’t know if Roseman would have necessarily made that call.
Looking at it in retrospect, Leonard Floyd would have been a sweet selection for the Birds in this situation. It is no secret that the linebacking core has been a disaster for the Eagles as of late, so maybe it would have been nice to improve the position prior to their recent struggles.
Although there is no telling what direction the team would have headed, we do know the Birds would have had a lot more draft ammunition to help continue building their team.
Roseman has been heavily scrutinized when it comes to drafting the past few seasons…
Featured Image: AP Photo
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