Joe Flacco starting for the Jets is good news for the Eagles in more than one way

The Philadelphia Eagles received some good news on Wednesday morning. The New York Jets are reportedly starting Joe Flacco at quarterback in this week’s game against the Miami Dolphins, according to a report from ESPN’s Rich Cimini.

There are two reasons why this is a positive development from Philly.

1) The Eagles move one step closer to getting an additional 2022 fifth-round pick.

In case you forgot, the Birds traded Flacco to the Jets in exchange for a conditional 2022 sixth-round pick last month. That pick is set to be the least favorable of the two selections the Jets currently own in that round, one from San Francisco and one from Tampa Bay (so, likely the latter).

However, the pick will be elevated to a 2022 fifth-rounder if Flacco plays more than 50% of the snaps in four of the Jets’ games this season. (It’s unclear if New York would surrender their own pick or the one they own from Pittsburgh in that round, though it’s probably also the least favorable one.)

Flacco starting this week puts the Eagles one quarter of the way to getting a higher Day 3 pick.

Now, just because Flacco is starting this week doesn’t mean he’ll make three more starts. Zach Wilson is seemingly expected to be back at some point in the near future.

But what if Wilson’s recovery takes longer than expected? And what if Flacco actually plays well to where the Jets are winning and don’t want to take him out? The coaching staff doesn’t want to keep getting blown out; New York currently has the league’s worst point differential.

It doesn’t make sense for the Jets to play Flacco over a healthy Wilson, especially in a lost season. They’d be better served to let their young quarterback get playing time. But, hey, it didn’t really make sense to trade for Flacco in the first place. The Jets can’t exactly be counted on to make the most logical decisions.

There could also be a scenario where Wilson gets hurt and they have to turn back to Flacco since they’re seemingly no longer feeling good about Mike White.

In any event, the Eagles will be happy to see South Jersey Joe starting and getting them one step closer to a better pick.

2) The Eagles have a better shot of getting a higher pick from the Dolphins.

Flacco isn’t very good at this stage in his career and he hardly has much of a supporting cast around him. That being said, his floor is likely higher than what Wilson and White offer. He might offer the Jets more competency than those younger guys.

Will it be enough to beat the Dolphins? Quite possibly not!

But if Flacco can help the Jets pull off the upset against Miami, well, that’d be good news for the Eagles. Philly obviously owns the Dolphins’ 2022 first-round pick. The Jets winning would not only raise Miami’s spot in the draft order but lower their own as well.

So, here’s to Flacco thriving with the Jets and convincing them to keep playing him.