Skip to content
Eagles
Link copied to clipboard

Eagles currently have just 7 draft picks: Can they acquire more?

The Eagles haven't had fewer than 8 picks in any draft since 2003. Over the last 10 years, they have drafted 96 players, or 9.6 per draft, which is easily the most in the NFL. In what is widely considered the best draft in years, the Eagles currently only have 7 picks, and will not be awarded any compensatory picks. Here are their 7 picks:

If the Eagles were thinking of dealing a player for an additional pick, the two most likely options would be Vinny Curry and Brandon Graham, who are both talented players but bad scheme fits. Tim McManus of Birds 24/7 had an interesting report out of Indianapolis at the NFL Combine in regard to Graham's likelihood of being dealt.

Brandon Graham is a player to keep your eye on this offseason.

The people we talked to believe he is a 4-3 defensive end, pure and simple. Not a scheme fit.Howie Roseman knows the value of pass rushers in this league so I don't think he will be in a hurry to trade Graham necessarily, but I do think he will entertain any offers that come through.

Graham would benefit from a fresh start and could be attractive to 4-3 teams looking to bolster their pass rush. The Eagles need to build this defense with pieces that fit. Not a lock, but I think there is a decent chance he gets dealt.

Graham's value is debatable. He'll turn 26 in April, and while he has run into a string of bad luck in his 4-year NFL career (torn ACL, buried behind Babin under Washburn, bad scheme fit in 3-4, etc), he has not overcome those obstacles either. If you're a 4-3 team in need of some pass rush help, would you give up, say, a 4th or 5th round pick in a tremendous draft for Graham, or would you rather just take the best 21-22 year old available on your board and try to develop him?

Another way the Eagles can acquire extra picks would be to trade back during the draft, and there could be some intriguing trade partners. If the Eagles are on the board at 22 and don't have a player sitting there that is a value they're not thrilled with, the following teams could be logical trade back partners.

Heading into the 2013 draft, the 49ers had double digit picks and were in a position to move around and get whatever players they specifically targeted. They traded up from 31 to 18 with the Cowboys, and had to part with the 74th overall pick (the equivalent of 10th pick in the 3rd round) to do so.

This year, once again, the Niners are flush with draft picks. Here is their entire slate of picks:

That would be 11 picks, and we're projecting them to receive a 4th round compensatory pick for losing safety Dashon Goldson, which would bring their total to 12.

If the Niners want to move up, they'll have the ammo to do so. A similar trade to the one they made with Dallas last year would be a move up from 30 to the Eagles' spot at 22, which would cost them their 3rd round pick originally owned by the Titans (77th overall).

Here's the draft pick value chart, which is a bit antiquated, but is believed to still be a tool used by the NFL. Using that chart, here's how Dallas' trade looked last year, and how a similar trade would look with the Eagles and Niners.

Obviously, the Niners have to be willing to give up a little value on the chart in this scenrio.

Like the 49ers, the Browns are loaded with picks. They have 10 total picks, with 3 in the first 35 overall and 5 in the first 83.

The Browns are likely to grab a QB with their 4th overall pick, but if they feel like a player they love at 22 is unlikely to make it to them at 26, the Eagles could potentially extract a mid-round pick for a meager move 4 spots back.

Four of the top five teams in the draft need QBs. They are the Texans, Jaguars, Browns (already noted above) and Raiders. Then the Vikings aren't far behind at 8.

With so many enormously talented position players in this draft, it's possible that a few of those teams could decide that the value of the another player trumps their need for a QB that early in the draft. The top 4 QBs in the draft (in whatever order you prefer) are Teddy Bridgewater, Johnny Manziel, Blake Bortles, and Derek Carr. If one of those QBs falls to the early 20's, one of those teams could try to put together a package to move up to the Eagles' spot at 22 to draft a QB. Here is where those teams draft in the 2nd round:

Of course, those QBs would have to get past the Jets at 18.

Follow Jimmy on Twitter: @JimmyKempski