Ask and you will receive, apparently. Yesterday we defined the Philadelphia Eagles as an emerging commercial candidate in the first round of the 2021 NFL draft for the Miami Dolphins. But if and only if the Eagles agreed a trade to send veteran quarterback Carson Wentz.
Not less than a few hours later, the writing has been done. Wentz will be Indianapolis Colt in 2021 and the Philadelphia Eagles are now presumably looking at another quarterback decision this offseason despite selecting Jalen Hurts in the 2nd round of the 2020 NFL Draft. And the Miami Dolphins can be absolutely helpful in Philadelphia’s bet to get a top quarterback.
But it will not be as easy as we proposed yesterday.
Because, as we mentioned when exploring the dynamics of a possible Eagles and Dolphins trade to change selections no. 3 and 6 in the NFL draft this April, the obvious parallel to draw was that of Colts and Jets in 2018 by Sam Darnold. This deal allowed the Jets to send two teams from the second round of the same year and another from the following year to Indianapolis to make a different selection. But the Philadelphia Eagles, based on Wentz’s trade terms with the Colts, don’t have two second-round picks this year. Because the Colts refused to send a second-round pick to Philadelphia in 2021 for Wentz.
The Eagles acquired the 85th overall selection in 2021 and a conditional 2nd round selection in 2022 that may become a first selection based on Wentz’s performance in Indianapolis, which makes some cold water in our initial proposal d yesterday:
“After the Eagles moved Wentz, the team could theoretically send the following package to climb three places:
Num. 6 in general
Number 37 in general
Num. 52 in general or 54 in general (assuming Wentz trades with Chicago or Indianapolis)
A selection from the second round of 2022It may seem like a high price to pay, but remember that the Jets did exactly the same trade with the Colts in 2018. This deal sent selections no. 37 and 49 of the 2018 NFL draft and a selection from the second round of 2019 (No. 34 overall). ” – Dolphins Wire
The best the eagles could do now based on this line of thinking is to send a second-round pick in 2021 and two in 2022; and even then they may not have two second-round picks if Wentz meets the conditions to graduate the Colts selection in a first round.
Now this is complicated because the Eagles cannot guarantee they have the options to replicate Darnold’s trade. And Miami, rightly so, should want a better payout for 2021 to move from No. 3 overall than just add a second-round pick. Therefore, this possibility is not dead; not even close. But the Eagles ’desperation to get a 3-position quarterback will define whether Miami can make that deal or not; because the Dolphins will not give a discount to Philadelphia just because they got a poor immediate return for Wentz.