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Philadelphia Eagles Rumors: Quarterback Paxton Lynch Could Be Heading To The Eagles, According To Latest Mock Drafts

By Phillip Dengler
Published on: 06:01 PST, Mar 6, 2016

After Sam Bradford re-signed with the Philadelphia Eagles last week, many fans and analysts believed that all of the recent quarterback rumors would end. For the past few weeks, the Eagles have been linked to numerous college quarterbacks including Jared Goff and Carson Wentz. Since Goff and Wentz are expected to be drafted within the first ten picks, the Eagles would have to make a trade in order to acquire one of them. With Bradford now the unquestionable starter for the Eagles, for at least the next two seasons, it just would not make sense to trade up in the draft for a quarterback.

Regardless of the Bradford signing, it appears as though the Eagles could draft a quarterback in the first round after all. Since Donovan McNabb was traded to the Washington Redskins in 2010, the Eagles have had uncertainty at the quarterback position. While many other franchises do not have an elite quarterback, the Eagles have especially had problems at the position. Since McNabb left town, Kevin Kolb, Michael Vick, Nick Foles, Mark Sanchez, and Sam Bradford have all failed to live up to expectations.

While Goff and Wentz will not be joining the Eagles this upcoming season, more and more analysts believe the team will draft Memphis Tigers quarterback Paxton Lynch with the No. 13 pick. For a team that desperately needs help in the defensive secondary and on the offensive line, it is somewhat of a surprise that they would use their valuable first-round draft pick on a quarterback. Sam Bradford is still only 28-years-old, so there is still a real chance that he could become a viable option for the Eagles for the next seven or more years.

Regardless, Fox Sports notes that Lynch may be too enticing for the Eagles to pass on.

“Don’t think just because the Eagles extended Sam Bradford that they wouldn’t take a quarterback in the draft. Remember, this is the team that took Kevin Kolb when they had Donovan McNabb and Nick Foles when they had Michael Vick. Lynch is 6-foot-7, can move, and has a strong arm. I’m told he interviewed well enough and has a bit of flair to him. Flamboyant and big personality isn’t the worst thing. As long as he backs it up. He won’t start in Year One, but that’s OK. I love this pick, even if Eagles fans — and both Bradford and Mark Sanchez’s agents — absolutely hate it.”

And they are absolutely right. The Eagles drafted quarterback Kevin Kolb in the prime of Donovan McNabb’s career, and many fans and analysts were surprised. While McNabb did not like it, the organization is always looking for the next best thing at quarterback. Bradford is no McNabb, so there is a chance that Lynch could be in the team’s plans for the 2017 or 2018 season.

Two out of the four analysts covering the CBS Sports NFL mock draft also believe the Eagles will take Lynch with the No. 13 pick. The other two analysts think the team will draft Michigan State offensive tackle Jack Conklin.

At this point, it makes much more sense that the Eagles would take Conklin to help their weak offensive line. After the departures of Todd Herremans and Evan Mathis, the offensive line became one of the weaker spots of the team. Jason Peters also appears to be declining, so the team would be smart to take an offensive lineman in the opening round.

Since former Eagles head coach Chip Kelly traded the team’s second-round draft pick, the Eagles have an important decision to make. They can take Lynch or Conklin if they decide to stay at pick No. 13. They can also trade their pick in order to acquire a second-round pick and move back in the first-round.

While the latest mock drafts believe the Philadelphia Eagles will draft quarterback Paxton Lynch, a lot is going to change over the next month. As NFL.com notes, Eagles head coach Doug Pederson believes Bradford’s best days are still a head of him. Regardless, Bradford has never proven to be a great quarterback in the NFL, so the team could still draft Lynch as an insurance policy. Rumors will likely continue to connect Lynch to the Eagles over the next few weeks.

[Photo by Wesley Hitt/Getty Images]

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