Paxton Lynch May Be Philadelphia Eagles’ Best Quarterback Draft Option

As the Philadelphia Eagles continue to personally evaluate every quarterback available, and basically anyone with an arm and fingers, it’s becoming more and more clear where their draft priorities lie. Doug Pederson and company want a new quarterback to groom behind Sam Bradford and Chase Daniel, and they’ve got plenty of time to let that player develop.

It’s a great situation for a team that’s been lacking consistent quarterback play for years now, no question about that. The only question is who that player is going to be, and when will the Eagles get them? Many assume it’ll be in the first round of the draft, and it’ll be either Carson Wentz or Jared Goff.

But don’t sleep on Paxton Lynch, because he might just wind up being the player the Eagles take at No. 8 overall.

Wentz and Goff have dominated the headlines, mainly because Lynch is more of a project while they’re both believed to be more pro-ready. But in terms of upside, Lynch might have them beat. The rub with that is you’ll have to be extra patient and extra steady with his development, which few teams are able to offer.

But the Eagles have been built specifically to handle that kind of situation. Finding a long-term answer at quarterback is going to do so much more for this team than anything else. A stud cornerback, pass rusher, running back, etc. would all be better in the immediate future, but five years down the road a quarterback is always most important.

And the Eagles may not find themselves in this position again. Grabbing a high-upside quarterback prospect can cost a fortune in draft picks if you’re not in the top of the draft already. Last time the Eagles picked inside the top 10, they weren’t lucky enough to grab a passer worth the risk. Lynch has the kind of potential that’s worth taking that shot on, though.

Of course, it’ll all be moot if Wentz or Goff make it to pick No. 8. At this point, it seems like people would be comfortable with the Eagles grabbing one of them there. But there’s a real possibility they won’t, and if that’s true the Eagles could seriously think about pulling the trigger. It would be risky, but it might be the best shot the Eagles get.