Tim McManus, ESPN Staff Writer 6y

What to expect if the Eagles trade out of first round

Today's Philadelphia Eagles Twitter mailbag question is about the NFL draft.

I view a trade out of the first round as the most likely scenario for the Eagles Thursday night. The logic is simple: They enter with a league-low six picks, don't have any selections in the second or third round, and can add to their stockpile by moving back a few spots while still landing a desirable player.

There's behind-the-scenes buzz about the team making a move, and executive vice president of football operations Howie Roseman declared the Eagles are "open for business" when asked about trading back last week.

If the Eagles are sliding to the top of the second round, both the trade value chart and recent history suggest a fourth-rounder would be fair compensation. Last year, as an example, the Green Bay Packers moved from 29 to 33 overall and received a high fourth-round pick (108th overall) from the Cleveland Browns in return. If they deal for a lower second-round pick, there's a better chance a third-rounder would come back as well.

The best scenario for the Eagles is if multiple quarterback-hungry teams are looking to move into the first round. The appeal is first-round contracts come with a fifth-year option, so even if a team feels their QB would fall to the second, there would be motivation to move up to gain that extra year of control at an important, pricey position.

Mel Kiper Jr. described No. 32 as the  "Teddy Bridgewater spot." In 2014, the Minnesota Vikings traded the 40th overall pick and a fourth-rounder (108 overall) to the Seattle Seahawks to leapfrog into the back of the first round.

Which quarterback might entice a team to make a similar move this year?

"I don't think Lamar Jackson would be there. If he were, that would be a great spot for him to go. But I think he will be gone by then," said Kiper of the Louisville signal-caller. "Mason Rudolph I think will be on the board. ... That's really the only one."

Rudolph, the 6-foot-3, 235-pound prospect out of Oklahoma State, completed 65 percent of his passes with 37 touchdowns to nine interceptions his senior season. Kiper has him going to the Buffalo Bills with the 53rd pick in his latest mock draft.

Much will depend on how many teams are successful in filling their quarterback needs earlier in the round. If more than one team comes up empty, the Eagles could be the beneficiary of a bidding war, which would drive up the asking price. The Cleveland Browns, Denver Broncos, New York Giants, New England Patriots and Miami Dolphins are among the teams with high second-round picks that could be in the market for a QB.

Teams may be enticed to move up for a non-quarterback as well. Whatever the case, there doesn't seem to be a ton of concern about finding a trade partner. And so long as the price is right, look for the Eagles to be on the move.

^ Back to Top ^