Should the Eagles trade down from the sixth pick?
As the hype of the NFL offseason continues to rise, the Philadelphia Eagles find themselves with wholes all across their current roster. Free agency is set to start next week, but don’t expect the Eagles to be big players there, as they are still shedding and moving contracts around to get under the salary cap. The biggest opportunity to improve the current roster will be through the NFL Draft that takes place in late April. They currently sit at the sixth overall pick in the draft, and whatever position they target is a true mystery.
Will they add the coveted wide receiver fans have been asking for? Take a chance at the hybrid pass catcher in Kyle Pitts? Find a true cornerback for the future? Or will they shock everybody and take a quarterback that they really like?
All of these options are still very much in play for when the draft comes around. If any of these happen, there will of course be tons of praise and pushback for what the organization decides to do.
There is one option, however, that every fan should be in on and consider on draft night. That option would be to trade down from the sixth overall spot.
As it stands right now, there are too many holes on this roster for one very good prospect to be able to make up for. Say they take a pass catcher at the sixth pick, they’ll still have holes on defense. If they took a star cornerback like Patrick Surtain or Caleb Farley, or linebacker Micah Parsons (very unlikely but still possible), they’ll still lack an elite prospect that can contribute on offense.
If the Philadelphia Eagles were able to trade down from the sixth pick, they would be doing themselves a big favor. Right now, you could make the case that three of the six teams that are slated to pick after the Eagles need to upgrade at quarterback. Those teams would be Panthers at eight, Broncos at nine, and 49ers at twelve. The farthest I would be okay with them trading down would be with the Broncos at nine, but if there’s a can’t miss deal at twelve with the 49ers, you would have to take it.
There’s bound to be at least one, maybe even two quarterbacks fall in the draft this year, which gives the Eagles a great trade down opportunity. If they are able to swap first round picks and possibly receive an additional second or third round pick, you have to trade down. Especially if a quarterback is being targeted, teams will be willing to give up more to get their guy.
The Philadelphia Eagles need a ton of young, talented players added to this team. With the aging roster and lack of cap space, the draft will be the best opportunity for them to do this. They can stay put at the sixth pick, but one player won’t be able to make up for everything. If they trade down, they’ll still be able to get a talented prospect, but can also give themselves more opportunities to add talent with an additional second or third round pick. It’s the best thing for them to do and will help them get this thing right sooner rather than later.
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Categorized:Eagles