The Eagles announced on Wednesday that they have "made a monumental trade," acquiring the No. 2 overall pick in the 2016 NFL Draft from the Cleveland Browns. Fantasy football owners should prepare for the team to draft a quarterback.
As ESPN's Adam Schefter put it: "So the first two picks, in one form or another, will be Jared Goff and Carson Wentz."
The Rams, who traded up to No. 1 overall in a deal with the Titans, are expected to take a QB as well.
According to FOXSport.com insider Mike Garafolo, the Eagles believe the Rams are going Goff. So their deal to No. 2 is with Wentz in mind.
The move was the second made by the Eagles this offseason in order to move up in the draft, as they started with the 13th overall pick before moving up to No. 8 in a trade with the Miami Dolphins back in March.
In order to acquire the second pick, the Eagles agreed to send the following to the Browns: 2016 first-round pick (No. 8 overall), 2016 third-round pick (No. 77 overall), 2016 fourth-round pick (No. 100 overall), 2017 first-round pick and a 2018 second-round pick. The Eagles also acquired a 2017 fourth-round pick in the deal.
"By making the initial trade with Miami earlier this offseason and with this trade today with Cleveland, we feel that we have put ourselves in the best possible position to draft an impact player," said Eagles GM Howie Roseman. "We will now focus our energy on the next step."
The move puts the Eagles in the highest draft slot that they have been in the first round since 1999. That year, the Eagles selected Donovan McNabb with the second overall pick, a move that greatly changed the landscape of the franchise.
Cleveland, meanwhile, now has six picks in the top 100 of what is considered a great draft class in terms of depth.
As Profootballtalk.com notes, the expected arrival of a "franchise QB" in Philadelphia creates an immediate logjam, after they signed Sam Bradford and Chase Daniel in free agency, but gives them the shot at a franchise quarterback which owner Jeff Lurie so clearly wanted.
Worth noting. ... Roseman, in announcing the trade, told reporters that Bradford remains the starter. "We've told Sam that," Roseman added.
Bradford was asked about all the speculation surrounding the position on Tuesday. "I learned a long time ago to stay away from that kind of stuff," he replied. "It's not the first time I've gone through a situation like this. I think I learned a long time ago not to worry about anything I can't control."
Bradford offered similar answers one year ago when the Eagles were in the market for Marcus Mariota, who was chosen by Tennessee. At that time, Bradford was still recovering from his knee injury. This spring, he’s a full participant in the offseason workouts for the first time since 2013.
“It’s been a long time since I’ve had just a normal offseason,” Bradford said. “It’s great. It’s extra reps, especially learning a new system. Being able to go out there today and be able to participate 100 percent, not being limited, to be able to get out there and go through the calls, make decisions. The more reps you get, the more comfortable you become.”
And the more prepared he'll be to compete with the team's anointed "QB of the future" in coming months.
