With veteran quarterbacks Sam Bradford – the unquestioned starter – and Chase Daniel on the roster, Philadelphia won’t be forced to rush the young quarterback into action before they’re ready. But Roseman couldnt resist an opportunity to move up after acquiring the No. 8 pick from Miami for cornerback Byron Maxwell, linebacker Kiko Alonso and the 13th overall pick.
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On Wednesday, Roseman said the team would be comfortable taking either of the top two quarterbacks – Goff or Wentz – with that No. 2 pick, comparing them to vanilla and chocolate ice cream.
Choosing between Carson Wentz and Jared Goff is similar to picking a flavor of ice cream or pizza topping. “We don’t want to get to a point where we take lesser talent just because we need to address a position”. Instead, the Eagles’ pick from the Browns will be near the end of the round because that’s where compensatory picks are awarded.
However, while many out there will question this move, we’re not among them.
They signed last year’s quarterback to a rich – albeit short – contract this offseason.
The team picked quarterback Donovan McNabb of Syracuse, and he and head coach Andy Reid went on to win five NFC East titles and make it to five NFC Championship Games and a Super Bowl.
Of course, that assumes Pederson has all that much say in this operation, as de facto General Manager Howie Roseman has already reversed a previously held opinion about trading up to trade up aggressively, to create the exact logjam to which Gruden refers.
The Browns, who have gone through 24 starting quarterbacks since 1999, did their homework on Goff and Wentz.
On Wednesday, the Eagles announced a blockbuster trade with the Cleveland Browns, allowing Philadelphia to move up to the No. 2 spot in the draft in exchange for a bevy of picks including next years first and second rounders.
Ironically, Robert Griffin III is now in Cleveland, which may have been the reason the Browns were looking to deal the No. 2 pick.
“These guys are pretty even”, Eagles coach Doug Pederson said of Wentz and Goff.
In the National Football League, unless you’ve managed to construct a historically great defense (hello, Denver Broncos), you’re not going anywhere without a legitimate quarterback.
“They were guys that we watched and dealt with, talked to, but at the same time, I said a long time ago, we’re going to do what we feel is right for our organization moving forward”. However, the Browns insist that whether or not they draft a quarterback, there will still be a competition between Griffin, Josh McCown, Austin Davis and Connor Shaw for the starting job.
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Jackson told Steve Doerschuk of the Canton Repository that he “had a big smile on his face” and “was ecstatic about” the draft picks Cleveland would receive from the Eagles.
