Cleveland Browns: Philadelphia Eagles slowly fading, helping Browns
The Cleveland Browns own the Philadelphia Eagles’ 2017 first-round pick, which continues to look better as the Eagles continue to lose.
Cleveland Browns fans may have felt a bit uneasy after the Week 1 matchup against the Philadelphia Eagles. Not only did the Browns lose the game, and lose their starting quarterback, but the team lost to a quarterback who many wanted in a Browns uniform.
The Browns passed on Carson Wentz in favor of acquiring more picks, and his 3-0 start to the season had many questioning if the Browns passed up on the next great quarterback. It’s still possible, but the season hasn’t been as magical for Wentz as it was back in September.
The Eagles are now 5-7, losers of three straight and five of their last six. Wentz is still having a good year, but he has cooled off after his hot start. He has thrown six interceptions in the past three games, all losses, compared to just three touchdowns. His Eagles have also not managed to score more than 15 points in a game during that three-game span.
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While no one should be actively rooting for Wentz to fail, his struggles directly help the Browns as the Eagles traded away their 2017 first-round pick to the Browns to acquire the quarterback. While this seemed like a bad move for the Browns at the outset of the season when the Eagles were 3-0, the pick could now easily reside within the top-10.
The Eagles’ four remaining games are against the Washington Redskins, Baltimore Ravens, New York Giants, and the Dallas Cowboys, all four of which are in the playoff hunt. Looking at those four games, a 6-10 season seems more than likely. With that being the case, the Browns would surely be looking at two top-10 picks in the 2017 Draft.
There is still the chance the Eagles find a win to win three or even all four of the remaining games, but it does not seem likely right now. With all four upcoming games against teams fighting for the playoffs, the focus on both sidelines will be polar opposites. And even if the Cowboys rest Dak Prescott in Week 17, there is a certain player named Tony Romo who could start in his place.
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So while the Browns are essentially locked in to either the first or second overall pick, passing on Wentz seems to be a smart move as the Eagles are struggling. Having two picks in the top-10 could help turn this franchise around, given the front office doesn’t squander their first big opportunity to make a difference. If the two picks are busts once again, expect new executives to be reporting to Jimmy Haslam in 2018.