- Current starting QB Nick Foles is not the problem with this football team. By any stretch. I believe he can be the starting quarterback for the Philadelphia Eagles for the foreseeable future, and, if surrounded by the right team, can lead the Eagles to a Super Bowl. He’s 14-4 as a starter and led what should have been a game winning drive in a playoff game before the defense rolled over against the New Orleans Saints last year. Yes, he struggled with turnovers a bit to begin the season, but the vast majority of young quarterbacks struggle with turnovers to begin their career. One such player is Peyton Manning. He turned out alright (I'm not saying Nick Foles is the next Peyton Manning... I'm saying struggling with turnovers early in a career isn't a death sentence). Let’s put it this way: Nick Foles hasn’t done anything to prove to me he can’t be the starter.
- I believe Marcus Mariota can be a very good quarterback in the NFL, no matter the system. He struggles with some deep and intermediate throws at times (specifically 3rd-and-long situations), but he has the size, mobility, accuracy, and decision making to succeed at the NFL level. He reminds me of a bigger version of Seattle Seahawks QB Russell Wilson with a slightly worse arm, a quarterback who will make the right decisions and put his team in a position to succeed on every play. If I had a draft board of prospects, he would rank #1 on my board.
- I don’t think the Eagles should trade up for Mariota given the likely price, but if Mariota did end up on the Eagles, I wouldn’t necessarily be mad. Intrigued is a much more accurate word. If Mariota is as good as advertised, he’s worth everything the Eagles would trade (and more) because you can’t place a price on a franchise quarterback. If he’s not, it’s the kind of trade that can set a team back for years and get coaches fired.
Philadelphia trades QB Nick Foles to St. Louis for 2015 second round pick
Philadelphia trades #12 overall pick, #19 overall pick, 2016 first round pick, 2015 third round pick, and 2015 fourth round pick to Tampa Bay for #1 overall pick
And hey, while we’re doing fake trades with the Browns, maybe the Eagles will convince the Browns to throw in headache (but ridiculously talented) WR Josh Gordon. Gordon may have a tough time staying on the field, but when he’s on the field, he’s out-of-this-world good. He’s the classic first round talent, UDFA off-the-field, so if the Eagles could convince Cleveland to part with the potential All-Pro for a fifth round pick (or something around that. Your guess is as good as mine for what it would take to get Gordon), he may be worth the risk. Maybe a change of scenery will be good for Gordon. Or maybe he’ll never get his head on straight and he’ll be nothing more than a waste of talent who isn't worth the trouble. Who knows?
Philadelphia trades QB Nick Foles to St. Louis for 2015 second round pick