Don’t take the Eagles out of the mix for Geno Smith just yet. After working out the quarterback in West Virginia Monday with the big three of Jeffrey Lurie, Howie Roseman, and Chip Kelly, in attendance, the Eagles are seemingly interested.
Many say that this report, first by Pro Football Talk, is just being used to generate a market for the Eagles fourth overall pick. The three teams ahead of the Eagles all seem satisfied with their quarterback position. Oakland is currently trying to restructure Carson Palmer’s huge contract but if they are unable to reach an agreement and are forced to release the 2002 Heisman Trophy winner, Geno Smith may be an option for them at number three.
As it stands now, the Eagles have definitely gotten the media hyping up this move. Perhaps that was their sole purpose to hold this workout. Arizona and Buffalo, sitting at seventh and eighth, are still in the market for a quarterback. Geno Smith is undoubtedly the best available quarterback in the draft. Being the quarterback driven league the NFL is today, no matter what the talent level, there will always be a quarterback who sneaks in to the top ten. Either of these teams could make a move with the Eagles, who are trying to stockpile picks and rebuild a team.
Let’s say for a minute that the Eagles aren’t putting up a smokescreen and are genuinely interested in the quarterback. It isn’t a stretch. There are currently five quarterbacks on the roster with the offseason additions of Dennis Dixon and G.J. Kinne. The Eagles will likely carry six quarterbacks into OTAs, the sixth either being Geno Smith or a mid-late round draft pick.
Smith was an incredible talent at West Virginia. He is an athletic guy who can run but prefers to stand tall in the pocket and deliver strikes with a rocket arm. The biggest downside is his inconsistent play. Through his first six games in 2012, Smith through 25 touchdowns without a single interception. In his last seven, 17 touchdowns and six interceptions. Six interceptions throughout a thirteen game season is impressive. But the TD to interception ratio change is something to worry about.
The athletic quarterback put together a respectable senior season with the Mountaineers. Finishing the season off with over 4,200 yards, Smith compiled 42 touchdowns and a 71.8 completion percentage. Strikingly similar to Robert Griffin III’s senior season stats, minus the 700 rushing yards that RG3 added to his yardage total.
It is no question that Chip Kelly will be running some version of the spread offense that he ran in Oregon. “I think,” says Smith on the spread offense, “I have the skill set that fits any offense, but I don’t think that’s my game.”
This is not to say Smith is completely ruling out playing the spread option, after all, he doesn’t have much of a choice where he ends up. After running a 4.59 40-yard dash, it is hard to think of Smith as the pure pocket quarterback he hopes to be. It is understandable that the 22-year-old wants to break the mold but he should not limit himself to staying in the pocket on every down. Clearly he is quick and athletic but after running only 17 times in 2012, he made it perfectly clear what he wants to be in the NFL.
This kind of style is what makes Smith an unlikely guy for the Eagles. I wrote in January that, with a few minor alterations, Nick Foles or Michael Vick could fit the offense Chip Kelly hopes to run. But with the signings of Dennis Dixon and GJ Kinne, it is clear what direction Kelly is heading and a running quarterback would be a necessity. Geno Smith does not fit the bill.
This private workout and a report that the Eagles clearly wanted to make public is almost certainly, primarily to set a market and increase the value of the fourth overall pick. The Eagles brass knows what they are doing and knows how to make a story a big one. Smokescreen or not, Geno Smith now has a connection to the Eagles and anyone who wants him has to go through the Eagles to get to him. The Buffalo Bills could be a team interested in moving up, now that they’ve released starting quarterback Ryan Fitzpatrick.
Follow Brenden on Twitter @brendenp2011 or email at BPeddigree2011@gmail.com.
I agree 100% and expect the Cards, Bills or Jets to make a Deal for that 4th Pick and the Eagles get at least an additional 2nd Rounder and another mid round pick.. I would not rule out the Jets with new Oc Marty M who could work with Geno Smith and has a very similar Skill Set as a young D McNabb did
Coming out of College..who knows , maybe the Eagles toss in WR Avant, DE Cole and their 4th pick to the Jets for their 1st Round Pick and CB Revis
That is more reasonable than you think Paul.
I could see a swap of first rounders; the 4th, and Cole, or Graham, for the Jets Ist Rounder which is the 8th pick, a 3rd, and Darelle Revis.
I could easily see it happening for it’s a win-win for both Clubs
Jets actually have the 9th Pick GMCliff.
Jets have to move Revis (with all the stories going on for the last month, I dson’t see where he can stay with a Team that has been dissing him)
I don’t believe Trent Cole or Brandon Graham are a fit for the Eagles New Defensive Scheme and the Jet’s need some Pass-Rushers and also need help at WR where Avant could fill in niceley with Coach MM new Offense ..
With the 9th Pick Eagles Could still get quality players like OLB Dion Jordan, OLB E Ansah, OT Lane Johnson, Guard Warmack or Cooper or Safety Kenny Vicarro which I would be happy with any of these selections
I would do the deal in a heartbeat.. Eagles Send 4th Pick, Cole or Graham, & WR Avant to the NY Jets for their 9th Pick, CB Revis, and maybe their 3rd or 4th Round Pick..
Geno Smith might be a better QB right now than Mike Vick and Nick Foles
No he isn’t E0S…….
Are you snorting bath salts?!?
I like Geno Smith ( at worst he is Jeff Blake who had a couple nice seasons long balling to Carl Pickens & Darney Scott )
Vick and Foles are bottom 10 QBs probably bottom 5
No they’re not…..
No they’re not E0S. Some of you guys are just Vick, Foles Haters.
No way in hades the eagles pick smith at 4, this is a smoke screen, eagles looking to trade the 4th pick for additional high picks, maybe with bills, cards, the Lurie propaganda machine put this out, but take a look at smith….
At his best he’s nick foles without Herman Munster shoes, but he doesn’t want to run, he’s a pocket qb
But in reality he is not, never will be as good as foles in the pocket, he looked terrible, lost against Syracuse, while foles dissected nfl defenses behind an oline not much better than what smith had in west Virginia
Anyone wo sees smith as a better qb than foles doesn’t know football or blinded by agenda, pure and simple
Couldn’t have said it better Jake.
I wouldn’t be surprised if the 3 QBs that start the season are Nick Foles, Geno Smith (or EJ Manuel) and Dennis Dixon. Wouldn’t shock me one bit if Kelly made the college move and started playing two QBs a game either.
I agree with your Butch
I believe strongly that Eagles will employ 2 Offenses
1 with GFoles and OC Shurmur with the more traditional West-Coast Schemes and a 2nd One with QB Coach & Kelly working with Vick,Dixon,Kinnie in a more Read-option Offense, Red-Zone Packages,etc,etc and can definitely see changing it up and rotating QB and Offenses in bases on opponent, score of the game, etc,etc which for a Defense would be a nightmare to have to plan for.. I think this can be very effective in this 2013 Season for Opponents have been locked into waht AR & MM have done over the last 12 Years that Defenses (even the GIants,Redskins,Cowboys) are not sure what to expect from CHip Kelly so use this to your advantage and play hurry-up faced paced with the more Athletic QB’s and than play a more balanced,power Football with Foles in there.. I would be very surprises and actually disappointed if CHip Kelly doesn;’t utilize this Strategy coming out of the gate in 2013 for it would be a huge advantage to keep Teams Defenses off balaanced and unpreparred to face 2 Base-Offenses and 2 QB’s ..