Tim McManus, ESPN Staff Writer 2y

Should Eagles make Gardner Minshew the next quarterback to get traded?

PHILADELPHIA -- The game of quarterback musical chairs is winding down and there are several NFL teams that have yet to find a seat.

Which begs the question: Could Philadelphia Eagles backup quarterback Gardner Minshew be on the move?

The Eagles acquired Minshew from the Jacksonville Jaguars last year for a conditional sixth-round pick. He ascended into the No. 2 slot behind starter Jalen Hurts after Joe Flacco was dealt to the New York Jets in October and filled the role nicely, going 20-of-25 for 242 yards with two touchdowns and no interceptions in place of an injured Hurts in a Week 13 win over those same Jets.

That performance further bolstered some pretty impressive career stats, as he's now completed 63% of his passes while throwing 41 TDs to 12 interceptions over 22 starts.

Minshew is eager to add to that résumé. He confirmed he approached coach Nick Sirianni after the December Jets win to see what it would take to become the starter full-time.

"One thing this coaching staff is big on is transparency and knowing where you stand, so I was going in there, and I am a competitive guy. We are all competitive guys that want to play," he said. “I was asking what it took and [Sirianni] said we are solid right now. I respect that and I am going to do everything I can to put myself in that position at some point.”

There's been a whirlwind of movement at the quarterback position this offseason:  Russell Wilson was traded to the Denver Broncos, Deshaun Watson to the Cleveland Browns, Carson Wentz went to the Washington Commanders, Mitch Trubisky to the Pittsburgh Steelers, and most recently, Matt Ryan landed with the Indianapolis Colts. While some QB situations now seem settled, teams like the Carolina Panthers (Sam Darnold) are still searching while others like the Seattle Seahawks (Drew Lock) and Atlanta Falcons (Marcus Mariota) could look to upgrade. There's always the draft, though this isn't regarded as a particularly good QB class.

"The way I look at it, in Seattle or Carolina, I think he would be the best player [at quarterback]," ESPN insider and former NFL executive Mike Tannenbaum said. "I think he would go there and start."

Tannenbaum put Minshew's current value at around a third-round pick, well above what general manager Howie Roseman spent to acquire him last August.

But would the Eagles do it? This is the team that won Super Bowl LII because they had a strong backup in Nick Foles. Their philosophy to invest in the No. 2 QB position was again rewarded last year when Hurts injured his ankle and Minshew successfully stepped in. Minshew, 25, is making $2.5 million this year. It would be hard to find a better second option, especially at that price.

Given those factors, Philadelphia would have to get a sweet offer and have a strong contingency plan in place via the draft or trade/free-agency market to part with him.

"I think he's one of the best 32 quarterbacks on the planet," Tannenbaum said. "I wouldn't be in a rush to move him because I think he is a really good player at a good value."

If not Minshew, who might be traded?

History, both recent and otherwise, indicates there will be some trade action before the offseason is through.

The Eagles have made 104 trades since Roseman took over as GM in 2010, the second-most behind only the New England Patriots. They've been actively trying to increase that number, most notably by vying for receiver Calvin Ridley before Ridley was suspended for the 2022 season for betting on NFL games.

Their attempt to land Ridley confirms they've identified receiver as an area of need. The signing of Zach Pascal to a one-year deal shouldn't change that.

Philly's recent activity also says something about Jalen Reagor's standing on the team. DeVonta Smith is the No. 1 receiver, the Eagles labeled Quez Watkins their No. 2 receiver earlier this offseason, and Pascal figures to be part of the regular rotation. Where does that leave Reagor?

"We talked about it at the end of the season; we need Jalen to take another step," Roseman said at the combine in February. "We need Jalen to do some of the things we drafted him to do. He knows that. There's no secret about that. We've told him the same things."

The former first-round pick has struggled to gain his footing over his two seasons, totaling 64 catches for 695 yards and three touchdowns. The combination of injuries and the constant comparisons to Justin Jefferson, who went a pick after him in the 2020 draft, impacted his mental health early on.

"Sometimes a fresh start is good for both sides and he may be a guy where a fresh start is worth it," Tannenbaum said. "This year's draft is littered with receivers again, you have a [No.] 1 in DeVonta Smith, so of the [players] we talked about, he would be the guy I'd probably consider moving on from."

As far as compensation, Tannenbaum said, "If you could get a fourth-round pick, I'd think you have to really consider it."

The other logical trade candidate is offensive tackle Andre Dillard, another first-round pick who has not yet met expectations. The difference is quality tackles are harder to come by than good receivers. And Dillard showed some notable improvement in spot duty last season.

"To the extent that you're trying to develop a young quarterback in Jalen Hurts, depth at the offensive line position is so consequential," Tannenbaum said.

"[Compensation would be] maybe a fourth-round pick, but who are you going to get that's better and cheaper than Dillard at that price? Tackles don't grow on trees."

Dillard is scheduled to make $2.2 million this season. Another factor to consider: They have until May 2 to decide whether to pick up his fifth-year option for 2023, a figure that is expected to come in close to $13 million.

Whether it's trading away one of their own, bringing in a player or players, or both, there's sure to be movement in the coming weeks.

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