The Eagles are trading backup quarterback Joe Flacco to the New York Jets in exchange for a conditional 6th-round pick that can become a 5th-round pick, according to multiple reports. With Jets’ starting quarterback Zach Wilson expected to miss time with a sprained MCL, Flacco provides the Jets with a competent veteran quarterback for at least the next couple of weeks. The Joe Flacco trade to the Jets makes sense for both sides for a number of reasons.
For the Eagles, they get compensation for a quarterback who was not in their long-term plans and open up more practice reps for Gardner Minshew, who is set to be promoted to No. 2 quarterback and will not be active on game days.
According to NFL insider Tom Pelissero, Flacco should be somewhat familiar with the Jets’ offense, which likely contributed to the trade interest. Flacco spent 2019 with the Broncos with Rich Scangarello, who runs an offense with similar concepts to the one Mike LaFleur runs. It is not immediately known if Flacco will be ready to start in Week 8 against the Bengals.
The Gardner Minshew Factor
With the Eagles and starting quarterback Jalen Hurts struggling, some fans and reporters have already been wondering if it might be time to give Gardner Minshew some reps in games or even hand over the starting gig to him. That is likely premature given all of the other issues the Eagles currently have, but this move does give the team a better look at Minshew in practice and allows him to be active on Sundays.
Minshew is under contract through the 2022 season and is likely to be back next season even if he remains a backup.
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Mike Maher is the editor and publisher of The Birds Blitz and Juiced Ball Era. Follow him on Twitter @mikeMaher and @TheBirdsBlitz and check out his Eagles news archive for all of his latest stories about the Eagles and the NFL.
Image Caption: “Joe Flacco Facing the Pass Rush” by Au Kirk is licensed under CC BY 2.0.
