The Philadelphia Eagles and Cleveland Browns made headlines on Wednesday by completing a big trade prior to the 2016 NFL Draft. The Eagles now own the second overall pick. In exchange, the Birds sent a total of five draft picks to Cleveland.
The trade has drawn mixed reactions so far. A lot of people are angry! Others seems to be willing to give it a chance. Here are some pros and cons to the trade.
Why this deal makes sense
The Eagles get what they believe to be is their quarterback of the future. The Eagles don't pick in the top 10 often (twice in the last 16 years) so this was a rare opportunity to get a top passer. Revisiting what I wrote just before this trade broke:
Getting a franchise quarterback should be every team's top priority until they find one. The Eagles do not have one of those. They have not been legitimate contenders since they had one (Donovan McNabb). They will not be contenders again until they find one. There's a big case to be made, then, that quarterback is the team's biggest need.
At the very least, now the Eagles will have the promise of a new franchise passer. Whoever they pick might not end up being worth it, but at least they're trying. No more half-measures at quarterback. The Birds are going all-in.
Why this deal doesn't make sense
Philadelphia paid a big price to trade up. The Birds still have a lot of non-quarterbacks needs on the roster to address. There are concerns about whether the Eagles will be able to adequately build a team around their new quarterback. There are also questions about whether the top quarterbacks from this class, Jared Goff and Carson Wentz, are really all that great. If the Eagles turn out to be bad in future years and their quarterback busts, they'll be in a bad spot.
...
So what say you? Do approve of this deal? Here's a recap of what the trade looks like. Vote in the poll below.
Philadelphia Eagles receive
2016 first round pick - No. 2 overall
2017 fourth round pick
Cleveland Browns receive
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
2018 second round pick