At one point during the 2007 offseason, the Eagles had the following QBs on the roster: Donovan McNabb, rookie (at the time) Kevin Kolb, A.J. Feeley, and Kelly Holcomb. Four years later, all 4 QBs are no longer Eagles, but they would eventually become Jeremy Maclin, Nate Allen, Jamar Chaney, Casey Matthews, Dominique Rodgers-Cromartie, a 2nd round pick in 2012, and a 4th round pick in 2012. Here's how:
Kelly Holcomb became Jeremy Maclin instead of whoever the Eagles would have selected at 21st overall in the 2009 draft:
- Remember Kelly Holcomb? You probably don't, because he never took a snap with the Eagles. In March of 2007, the Eagles traded Darwin Walker and a conditional 2008 pick for Takeo Spikes and Kelly Holcomb.
- Just 4 months later, the Eagles then traded Holcomb to the Vikings for a 6th round pick two years later in the 2009 draft.
- With the Browns on the clock at pick #19 in the 2009 draft, the Eagles traded up from 21 to 19, and only had to give up a 6th round pick to do so. That 6th round pick was the one the Eagles acquired in the Kelly Holcomb trade.
- With the 19th pick in the 2009 draft, the Eagles selected Jeremy Maclin.
A.J. Feeley ultimately became Jamar Chaney:
- In March of 2004, the Eagles traded A.J. Feeley for a 2nd round pick in the 2005 draft.
- With that 2nd round pick in 2005, the Eagles selected Reggie Brown.
- After a promising start to his career, Brown fizzled out and in March of 2010, the Eagles traded Brown to the Buccaneers for a 6th round pick in the 2011 draft.
- In the 7th round of the 2010 draft, the Lions were on the clock, and the Eagles saw a player they liked in Jamar Chaney. They traded their 2011 6th round pick acquired in the Reggie Brown trade for Detroit's pick in the 7th, and selected Chaney.
- After a few disappointing seasons in Miami, Feeley would actually return to Philly in 2006 to serve once again as Donovan McNabb's backup.
Donovan McNabb became Nate Allen, Casey Matthews, and a 4 in 2012:
- In April of 2010, the Eagles traded McNabb to the Redskins for the 37th overall pick in the 2010 draft, and a 4th round pick that could become a 3rd round pick if McNabb accomplished any one of a number of benchmarks, which he did not.
- With the 37th overall pick in the 2010 draft, the Eagles selected Nate Allen.
- With the 4th rounder the Eagles acquired from the Redskins, the Eagles were able to acquire an extra 4th round pick in 2012 from the Buccaneers, and only had to move back 12 spots from 104 to 116 to do so.
- With that 116th overall pick, the Eagles selected Casey Matthews.
- They still have a 4th round pick in the 2012 draft stemming from this trade.
Kevin Kolb became Dominique Rodgers-Cromartie and a 2nd round pick in 2012:
- In July of 2011, the Eagles traded Kolb to the Cardinals for Dominique Rodgers-Cromartie and a 2nd round pick in 2012.
- The Eagles now have a total of 10 picks already in the 2012 draft, and oh yeah, their current QB is still pretty good.
That's what you call maximizing the return on all of your assets. Simply outstanding.