The Philadelphia Eagles could be an ideal trade destination for a dual-threat quarterback.
As urged by former NFL general manager Michael Lombardi, the Eagles should consider a trade for Chicago Bears quarterback Justin Fields. Lombardi mentions on his GM Shuffle podcast that he couldn’t find a team that had interest in the 25-year-old at the NFL Combine. Fast forward to two weeks later and it’s clear that Fields’ trade market is cold.
“If I were Philly, I would trade for him,” Lombardi said.
Eagles Could Potentially Acquire Justin Fields for Fourth-Round Pick
Lombardi isn’t the only person to propose Philadelphia as a landing spot for Fields. Chicago Sun-Times Bears reporter Patrick Finley mentions the Eagles as a potential destination for Fields as a backup to current starter Jalen Hurts.
“Perhaps Fields could compete against incumbent starters on the Titans or Seahawks,” writes Finley. “Maybe the Broncos decide that Fields’ $3.2 million salary in 2024 lessens any risk, or the Eagles see a similarly skilled second-stringer behind Jalen Hurts.”
Finley also mentions how it’s unlikely that a team gives up more than a fourth-round pick in exchange for Fields. If that’s the case, Philadelphia — who just lost their backup from last season, Marcus Mariota, in free agency — could find it beneficial to acquire Fields, who holds just a $1.6 million base salary in 2024 as part of the final year of his rookie deal.
With the Bears likely aiming the select Caleb Williams with the top pick in the 2024 NFL draft, it has decimated Fields’ trade value.
Why Justin Fields Holds Potential Value for Eagles
We all know the story with Fields — he’s a great running quarterback who has yet to consistently show that he’s a reliable passer. The former first-round draft pick holds the NFL record for most rushing yards by a quarterback in a single game (178) and is one of just three quarterbacks to rush for 1,000 yards in a single season. However, Fields ranked 29th in completion rate and 22nd in passer rating last season.
While Fields obviously won’t win the starting job from Hurts, he could be used as potential trade bait to fetch an even greater return at the trade deadline next season. His value especially increases if he sees any bit of playing time — Hurts did miss two starts due to injury during the 2022 season — given that he’s on a cheap contract and quarterback-needy teams could benefit from the athletic young playmaker.
However, as Mike Fisher of Sports Illustrated mentions, the acquisition of a potential franchise quarterback in Fields could do more harm than good. That’s because if Hurts has a rough start to the season — especially following the Eagles’ collapse last season after a 10-1 start — fans and the media could start calling for Fields to start. That could cause an uneasy distraction in the locker room for a team that struggled with adversity at the end of last season.
“….the Eagles locker room chemistry is – as Philly fans have come to learn – a delicate thing,” writes Fisher. “Hurts’ leadership has been questioned by some. … and in many situations like this, teams prefer to employ a clear No. 2 guy as the backup … “clear” meaning he’s here to support the starter, not to compete with him.”
While that’s certainly a possibility, the idea of acquiring Fields — a first-round talent with a high ceiling — for merely a fourth-round pick is too good to pass up. If the Eagles have the opportunity to acquire the Ohio State alum for a Day 3 pick, they basically have to pull off that trade.
