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Marcus Mariota is the Top Subject of Debate for the Philadelphia Eagles

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In a way, I think everyone in Philadelphia saw this debate coming: Should the Philadelphia Eagles move all the way up in the draft to select quarterback Marcus Mariota, and if so, will they do it?

Between Nick Foles and Mark Sanchez, to say that Eagle nation was underwhelmed with what they saw would be an understatement. Neither Foles nor Sanchez really took hold of the job as was hoped, with the most disappointment directed straight at Foles in the wake of what many had predicted to be a career year for him. Meanwhile, you have Chip Kelly’s protege winning the Heisman trophy and looking like a future franchise player.

Where do the Eagles stand on this? Well, analyzing the psychology of the Eagles right now is a tricky task. The case against acquiring Mariota could be centered around the quote from Kelly about not needing a franchise quarterback to run his offense.

Also, I think it’s clear the Eagles are trying a strategy similar to the New Orleans Saints the year they won their championship: Have a consistently effective offense with an average defense that can create turnovers. Creating that type of defense would cost the Eagles far less in resources; they could probably acquire enough upgrades via free agency and the draft.

If you truly believe Kelly can work with a quarterback of reasonable talent, Foles has shown he can be enough. Or, if he’s really not and last season was an aberration, perhaps drafting a quarterback like Brett Hundley or signing Jake Locker in free agency would be enough.

But, on the other hand, if you think a Foles-led offense is dangerous, just imagine what Mariota would do here. Quick-footed, strong-armed and (most of all) fully experienced in Kelly’s offense, Mariota would indeed be an immediate plug-and-play starter.

He’d be a running threat to open up the option attack, he’d be a smart field general and limit turnovers. Basically, he would be the quintessential quarterback to really open up Kelly’s offense. On paper, it seems like a no-brainer for the Eagles. But, as with every major purchase, you have to read the price tag.

As of this writing, Mariota is on track to be the first player taken off the board come draft day. Both the Tampa Bay Buccaneers and Tennessee Titans have unsettled quarterback situations to deal with and Mariota has to be looking better and better to them by the day.

After seeing what the Washington Redskins gave to the St. Louis Rams in the infamous Robert Griffin III trade, it’s not inconceivable to think three first-round picks are just the starting point in any trade negotiation. This is assuming that either team is even willing to trade.

The draft is a long way away. There’s going to be plenty of time to dissect this issue, and believe me when I say Mariota is going to be the hottest topic of offseason debate for the Eagles. Right now, I’m on the boat of building up the defense and having Kelly find a quarterback elsewhere. But those are two articles for another day — honestly I see the value in both sides of this argument. And I’m sure my mind is going to flip-flop right along with everyone else’s in Philadelphia, so stay tuned. This is going to be a long ride.

Doug Green is a blogger for www.RantSports.com covering the Philadelphia Eagles and the NFL. Follow him on Twitter @DGreenNFL

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