Looking at some backup plans
Eagles might want to consider one of these 5 veteran quarterbacks
As we move closer to the start of the NFL’s new league year and the start of free agency in mid-March, three things have become apparent about the Eagles and their quarterback situation:
1. They’re going to draft one. It may not be early in the NFL draft, but by the end of Day 3 they almost certainly will add a rookie to their mix.
2. They’re also almost certain to add a veteran in free agency. After all, they’re going to need three arms during the season, and the only one they have under contract now (after the Carson Wentz trade is made official and Nate Sudfeld’s contract expires later this month) is secondyear player Jalen Hurts.
2. Marcus Mariota is not feasible. Need to put that rumor to bed now. The Eagles are in no position to trade for any quarterback, much less a backup who’s due to make $10 million in 2021. Nor will they get into a bidding war for Mariota if he’s released by the Las Vegas Raiders.
Hurts is the presumed starter unless the Eagles use their No. 6 overall pick on a quarterback. And even then, Hurts likely will start until that player is ready.
With those qualifiers out of the way, here are, in no particular order, five veteran quarterbacks who make the most sense for the Eagles to pursue in free agency.
Tyrod Taylor
A former starter with a lifetime winning record, Taylor has an excellent touchdown-to-interception ratio (54-20) and has worked the last two seasons with new Eagles offensive coordinator Shane Steichen.
For a team and new coaching staff that may not have the benefit of a full offseason this year because of the pandemic, Taylor sure looks like a good fit.
Jameis Winston
A bit of an enigma, Winston has undeniable talent.
For example, he threw 33 touchdown passes while amassing an NFL-high 5,109 passing yards in Bruce Arians’ Tampa Bay offense in 2019. On the other hand, he also tossed 30 interceptions as the Bucs finished 7-9 before signing Tom Brady to clean things up.
But he’s not exactly chopped liver. Winston has thrown 121 touchdown passes in his career, and he’s only 27.
Ryan Fitzpatrick
He has had one crazy career that apparently still is not over at the age of 38.
Fitzpatrick has played for eight teams and counting. He’s been a starter, a backup and everything in between. There’s no defense or blitz or coverage scheme he hasn’t seen.
In eight games for Tampa Bay in 2018, he led the league in yards per attempt (9.6) and yards per completion (14.4). In 165 career games, he has 223 career touchdown passes.
He’s also a Harvard graduate, for what that’s worth.
Andy Dalton
Dalton has had good regular-season success as a longtime starter in this league, compiling a 74-66-2 record in nine years with the Cincinnati Bengals and one with the Dallas Cowboys.
His problems have been in the postseason, in which he’s 0-4.
Nevertheless, Dalton would bring the kind of experience that comes from throwing 218 touchdown passes against 126 interceptions.
Jacoby Brissett
New Eagles coach Nick Sirianni worked with Brissett in Indianapolis, where he showed some promise in his second stint as a starter in 2019 (272for-447, 2,942 yards, 18 TDs, six interceptions, 228 rushing yards in 15 starts).
But the Colts acquired Philip Rivers to be the starter in 2020 and just traded for the Eagles’ Carson Wentz to do the same this year.
Brissett could flourish as a backup in a new environment that ultimately will lead to him having to start games due to injury.
Because getting injured is what Eagles starting quarterbacks do. They’ve done it consistently for nearly 20 seasons. Whether they’re dynamic runners/scramblers like Michael Vick or Donovan McNabb, pocket passers like Nick Foles or Sam Bradford, or both like Wentz, they all miss time.
So will Hurts. That’s basically a guarantee.
So the Eagles need to be careful with the process of choosing their backup quarterback, the second-most important position in any team sport.