Philadelphia Eagles can make disappointing season worthwhile by losing out and getting a high NFL draft pick

The Philadelphia Eagles' 2015 season has been very disappointing. The team has failed to live up to high expectations. The Birds are 4-7 after surrendering 45 points in two straight losses. With a road game against the New England Patriots up next on the schedule, the Eagles are staring 4-8 right in the face.

But maybe that's not so bad. Losing games might actually be the only thing that can make this dreadful season worth a damn. The Eagles clearly lack talent on this team, and getting the chance to add a top tier player in the 2016 NFL Draft could be a step in the right direction. Especially if that top tier player is a quarterback.

It all comes back to this: the Eagles haven't had a real franchise signal caller since the days of Donovan McNabb, whom was originally selected with the No. 2 overall pick in the 1999 NFL Draft. It's no coincidence that the Eagles were true championship contenders for a large portion of McNabb's career and haven't been ever since he's been gone. The Eagles have tried to replace McNabb, but every quarterback they've used has been a one-hit wonder at best. Current quarterback Sam Bradford hasn't even been able to live up to that low bar.

Enough is enough. No more half measures. It's time for the Eagles to get a quarterback high in the draft and groom him to be "the guy." Sure, there's no guarantee it will work. There are very little guarantees at all in football. But it's absolutely the best approach for this team at this point. If the Eagles continue to accept mediocrity at the quarterback position, they truly aren't trying to contend for a championship.

Now, I'll admit this plan might be easier said than done. If the season were to end today, the Eagles would draft No. 9 overall. Even if the Birds lose out, they might not be able to get all the way to the top if other bad teams continue to lose. And even if the Eagles do get a top pick, there's no guarantee the quarterbacks in this draft class will be worth taking.

Losing out might also mean the Eagles will have to lose their coach. Is there any way Chip Kelly can hold onto his job after going 4-12 this season? And if he doesn't get fired, is Kelly sticking around what's really best for the franchise, especially given his deficiencies as a general manager? I go back and forth on the answer to those questions.

All I know for sure is this team will only be a pretender until they get a quarterback. The Eagles also need more than just a quarterback, but those pieces can be added at any time. Opportunities to lay a foundation with a franchise passer don't come around very often, and the Eagles just might be able to put themselves in position to do that after this season. Depending on what happens with Kelly, they might even be able to pair the new quarterback with a new coach, similar to how McNabb and Andy Reid started together in Philadelphia.

I just don't see how wins this year really help the team at this point. The Eagles may only be one game back in the NFC East, but come on. They're not truly contending. It would be very damaging for this team to somehow win a few games and build false hope that they can carry over the same team and turn it around next season.

The Eagles need change. Losing forces change. It's time for the Eagles to lose.