Eagles Now Have No. 2 Pick Carson Wentz After Great Trade With Browns

As part of a trade with the Cleveland Browns, the Philadelphia Eagles have now officially acquired the probable No. 2 overall pick in the 2016 NFL Draft, North Dakota State Bison quarterback Carson Wentz. 

Eagles Now Have No. 2 Pick Carson Wentz After Great Trade With Browns

The Eagles will also get a 2017 fourth-round pick, while the Browns will acquire five players: The No. 8 overall pick in 2016, the No. 77 overall pick (third round) in 2016, the No. 100 overall pick (fourth round) in 2016, a 2017 first-rounder and a 2018 second-rounder.

The move had been rumored for several days now, and as recently as Tuesday night, FOXSports.com’s Alex Marvez reported that any trade between the two teams would likely include multiple first- and third-round picks.

Some analysts have noted the risk involved in the deal, but there seems to be far more risk in sticking with Sam Bradford, the team’s current quarterback. The chances of Bradford turning into a franchise quarterback six years and 63 games into his career are slim. He still has to prove he can be a winning quarterback.

This is precisely why he didn’t get a long-term deal earlier this offseason, and why the Los Angeles Rams were willing to trade him last offseason.

Whether Wentz is the same type of prospect Jameis Winston or Marcus Mariota were coming out last season is debatable.

However, Wentz has a high ceiling. At 6-foot-5, 237 pounds, he has ideal size for a quarterback, and has proven himself to be a great athlete with a strong arm. Although he isn’t yet exactly the pro-ready passer Andrew Luck was coming out of college, Wentz could potentially get there one day.

The Eagles won’t have a pick in this year’s draft in the second and fourth rounds. The lack of the second-round pick was the result of last year’s trade for Bradford.

In 2017, the Eagles will be without their first-round pick (unless they can orchestrate a trade to get back into the first round). In 2018, they will be without their second-round pick.

Missing those picks hurts. But by structuring the deal this way, Roseman allowed the Eagles to have a chance of getting top prospects in each of the next three drafts.

It will take several years to know if this deal really worked to the Eagles’ favor long term. However, Roseman’s team will certainly benefit from this deal in the short term.

MOBILE, AL – JANUARY 30: North team’s quarterback Carson Wentz #11 with North Dakota State looks to throw a pass during their game against the South Team on January 30, 2016 at Ladd-Peebles Stadium in Mobile, Alabama. (Photo by Michael Chang/Getty Images)