Chip Kelly misses landing Marcus Mariota, but could that be good for Eagles?
Chip Kelly has a few awkward conversations lined up.
With rumors circulating that Kelly was ready to ship half of eastern Pennsylvania to the Tennessee Titans for the right to move up to No. 2 and ostensibly pick Marcus Mariota, no deal was struck. The Titans stood pat and took Mariota themselves.
And these were not just draft picks the Eagles were offering. They let several players twist in the wind Thursday night:
And that “more” might have included Sam Bradford, the quarterback Kelly acquired several weeks ago but has been held ransom by the fact that the Eagles have shown little effort to extend his contract and have yet to sell his jersey in the team’s pro shop.
In lieu of “Bradford” jerseys, the team should sell ones that read: “Not Mariota.” They might sell.
That’s what Thursday’s disappointment felt like for the Eagles, who tried like heck to land Kelly’s former pupil at Oregon. But was not landing Mariota a good thing?
Trading three key defenders, three high picks and — maybe — a starting type of quarterback in Bradford, all for the right to land a college spread passer who is far from a sure thing, even if he had landed in the spot that felt most natural for him to thrive, under Kelly’s guidance … it just felt reckless.
They say no price is too high for a great QB. If he works out, it’s worth it, right?
For the Eagles, they likely won’t find out, as trading Mariota’s rights to Philadelphia doesn’t appear to be any type of likelihood now.
Kelly might be depressed. But in the long run, the Eagles’ misfire might end up being a smart move. After all, they still have a defense.
Can Bradford thrive there? Is he part of some other Kelly-hatched maneuver? Anything that happens now might be a letdown, but sometimes the best trades are the ones teams don’t make. Just ask the 2012 Washington Redskins and their choice of RGIII.
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Eric Edholm is a writer for Shutdown Corner on Yahoo Sports. Have a tip? Email him at [email protected] or follow him on Twitter! Follow @Eric_Edholm
