Iggles Blitz

by Tommy Lawlor

To QB Or Not QB

Posted April 16th, 2026 | 1 Comment »

Howie Roseman caught a lot of grief for referring to the Eagles as a QB factory, but the spirit of his comment is true. You want to have a good starter in place and always be looking for more QB talent. The Eagles have played in three Super Bowls in the last decade. All were started by QBs taken outside the first round. That’s pretty special. You have to put an asterisk by 2017 because second overall pick Carson Wentz started most of the season, but it was Nick Foles who played the game of his life on the biggest stage in the world.

The Eagles have a good starter in Jalen Hurts, a good backup in Tanner McKee and a good number three in Andy Dalton. There doesn’t appear to be room for another QB, but the team is checking out draft prospects and keeping their options open. I think they would be open to trading McKee if the right offer comes along. This could happen during the draft if some teams misses out on a QB they like. I don’t think Howie is actively shopping McKee, but the addition of a veteran like Dalton gives them the freedom to make a trade if they want to.

This is not a good QB class so I don’t anticipate the Eagles spending an early pick on one. Still, you never know who the team is going to feel strongly about. Back in 2012 they really wanted Russell Wilson. They were too patient and Seattle grabbed him. Howie took that lesson to heart in 202o. The team liked Hurts a lot and pounced on him in the second round. That pick caught all of us off guard. That turned out to be a brilliant move. So never say never.

Fernando Mendoza and Ty Simpson will likely be the first two QBs off the board. The Eagles won’t be getting them. Here is the way I have the other key QBs ranked.

Garrett Nussmeier – 3th round
Drew Allar – 3th round
Cade Klubnik – 3th round
Carson Beck – 3th round
Cole Payton -3th round
Taylen Green – 5th round
Haynes King – 5th round
Luke Altmyer – 5th round
Jalon Daniels – 6th round
Jack Strand – 6th round
Sawyer Robertson – 6th round
Diego Pavia – 7th round
Joe Fagnano – 7th round

I will share some thoughts on a few of the QBs that I think could interest the Eagles or who are noteworthy.

The Eagles might like Nussmeier, the son of former OC Doug Nussmeier, but he could go 2nd or early 3rd. I don’t think they’ll have a chance to get him without spending a high pick. If he does slide, he could be of definite interest. Nussmeier was hurt as a senior and played poorly, even getting benched. His junior tape is good and I think he can be a starting QB.

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I am higher on Klubnik than most people. I watched him in several games and always came away impressed. He’s a good athlete and a good pocket passer. He lacks ideal size. Here are the raw notes I have on him.

3-year starter who put up huge numbers in 2024 and then had a down senior season. Ran well at his Pro Day. Had a 55-yard TD run vs NCSU in 2024 so that athleticism shows up n games. Had a 50-yard TD run to seal a win over Pitt. Had a 35-yard TD run vs Stanford. He can scoot. Too casual with his play fakes. Can throw on the move. Good accuracy on his deep balls. Puts good touch on them as well. Very catchable. Makes some really impressive throws. Offense had him making a lot of quick reads. Got the ball out quicky and on target. Has a compact release. Accurate passer. Receivers get the ball on the move and are able to add YAC. Solid arm. Handles pressure pretty well. Footwork can be sloppy at times. Klubinik has the physical tools, skills and experience to develop into a starting QB in the NFL.

For the sake of comparison, Dane Brugler has him rated as 5th/6th rounder. He had Klubnik going in the 7th round in his recent mock draft. QB is all about the eye of the beholder.

I would love for the Eagles to get him on Day 3. Could be a good backup for a few years and then you see what happens.

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Drew Allar feels like the type of QB the Eagles could like because of his physical tools and size. It is hard to know where he will go. It feels like there has been some buzz on Allar recently, but he never played to his full potential at Penn State. I can easily see a pro coach falling in love with that potential. My guess is that he goes in the 3rd round. Brugler had him lasting until the top of the 4th round in his mock. I’m going to assume most of you have seen or heard about Allar since he played at Penn State. He’s got the tools to be a good NFL QB. But there is no guarantee that will happen based on what we saw in college.

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Cole Payton is a one-year starter who threw just 283 passes in college. That is not close to ideal. He has good size at 6-3, 232 and ran 4.56 at the Combine. This is a really good athlete. He’s raw as a QB so it will likely be a year or two before you can count on him. But the talent is there. Payton is an outstanding runner. He’s got a strong arm. He looks like an NFL QB. He doesn’t feel like an Eagles guy to me. The recent draft picks have had a lot of starting experience. The team had an idea what it was getting. Maybe Nick Sirianni or Sean Mannion will find him too good to pass up. There has been talk of him going in the 2nd round or lasting late. Hard player to get a feel for.

There has been some talk of him being a Taysom Hill type of player.

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Some people love Taylen Green. He is a dynamic talent. His highlights make him look like a star. The problem is that he’s more athlete than polished QB. That worries you when the player is almost 24 and has 46 career starts. Here are my raw notes.

From a size and tools perspective, might be the most talented QB prospect in the class. Makes a wow play every game. Unfortunately he is not a consistently good passer. Great athlete with a strong arm. Dynamic runner. That mobility hurts him at times. Can be quick to bail from the pocket. Uses a spin move too much and that leads to some bad sacks. Doesn’t always show good vision. Threw 35 INTs in college, including 11 as a senior. Forces the ball at times. Not a consistently good decision maker. A true project with great upside, but major issues to fix.

I see him as too much of a project for the Eagles, but I’m sure they love his raw talent. If a coach can solve him, Green could be a star QB.

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Mannion coached Haynes King at the Shrine Game so the Eagles have some good insight on him. King is another tough evaluation. He ran for 2,427 yards and 37 TDs in college. GT loved to run the ball. Their head coach is a former OL so that’s what you expect. King is tough as nails. He took a pounding on a weekly basis. Teams knew he was going to run, but still struggled to stop him. It was beyond frustrating if you were pulling for the other team.

He completed more than 70 percent of his passes over the past two seasons. He threw 28 TDs against just 8 INTs. Those are good numbers. But his tape is inconsistent. Doesn’t have great footwork. Doesn’t always handle pressure well. Decision-making is up and down. There are plays when he looks like a good passer, but then he’ll miss a wide open target.

He is more of an athletic playmaker than a polished QB. He is a great leader and intense competitor. There were games where GT was protecting a lead or trying to re-take the lead and he would run a lot in those situations. He would take a big hit and you’d see King hobble to the sideline. He’d have a towel over his head and look rough. The announcers would speculate on if he would return to the game. The next series he would come out and run for a key first down or TD and you would just shake your head. Played like a warrior. I know the Eagles will love his intangibles. I just don’t know if they will like him enough as a passer to take him. Would be an interesting pick on Day 3.

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The Eagles have shown some interest in Luke Altmyer. He started 36 games and got better every year. He’s 6-2, 210 and isn’t special physically. He did play in a pro style offense. He’s taken snaps under center. Altmyer is an effective runner. He went to the Senior Bowl and had a solid showing. One of the things that always stood out to me is that Altmyer seemed clutch. He could have a rough stretch or even a poor half, but would come through when needed.

I think he projects as a backup. Could be a good fit in the new scheme. Altmyer could go undrafted. If so, the Eagles might make him a priority UDFA signing.

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More Thoughts on the AJ Brown Situation

Posted April 15th, 2026 | 1 Comment »

I hate writing about this because it is such a divisive topic. People get irrational and you go from an honest discussion to an inane argument. I had someone on Twitter recently tell me I had no journalistic integrity and was just doing clickbait for saying AJ will be traded. If anything, I’m the polar opposite of clickbait. Just look at the headline for today. That’s pretty bland. Not “AJ Must Go!” or something wild.

Trying to understand the situation is tricky because we have to infer things. AJ hasn’t put out a notarized statement saying “I want to be traded” so some people simply will not believe that’s exactly what he does want. They are living in a world that demands definitive proof. Okay. That’s just not the way the real world works. We often have to read between the lines, and that is certainly the case here.

Howie Roseman has stated multiple times that he isn’t in the business of trading away good players. This isn’t a move the Eagles want to make. They would prefer to keep AJ. He’s a top receiver and difference-maker. So why are the Eagles having trade talks? The AJ deniers, as we’ll call them, would have you believe Diana Russini cooked up this story and teams are just calling the Eagles. That might make sense to some, but it isn’t reality. A dozen or so NFL insiders have reported on this at length. That wouldn’t happen if this were some conjured up deal and the Eagles just received a few calls.

We know there have been active negotiations with the Rams and Patriots. That doesn’t happen unless Howie is open to trading AJ. This is a complex financial situation because of the cap ramifications so this isn’t a deal of convenience. The Eagles aren’t rebuilding. They aren’t aggressively looking for picks. So again, why is AJ available?

AJ wants to be traded.

When Haason Reddick wanted out, Howie traded him. When Carson Wentz wanted out, Howie traded him. If veterans let Howie know they feel strongly and want to move on, he does what he can. He’s not trying to trade Jalen Hurts or Jordan Mailata or Cooper DeJean. The Eagles spend a lot of time and money to acquire and develop good players. The last thing they want is to see them leave. But they also understand the importance of keeping players happy and having a healthy locker room. Howie saw how the TO situation divided and broke the 2005 Eagles and even had implications beyond that. If AJ is on the block it is because he wants out.

Why? This is where we have to speculate.

AJ finished 19th in the league in catches and yards last season. RB Bijan Robinson had one more reception than him. Five WRs, one TE and one RB all had 100 or more receptions. AJ had 78. I think that bothers the heck out of him. In his mind it diminishes his value. He’s more talented than several of the guys that were more productive than him. He was 37th in receptions in 2024 so don’t try to blame this on Kevin Patullo.

What if he played in an offense with a good QB that fed the ball to their star receiver? He could be right there with Puka Nacua, Ja’Marr Chase or JSN. And that would help his legacy. I’m sure AJ would love to go to the Hall of Fame. That’s not happening with the Eagles. Receivers have to put up gaudy numbers to get in these days. AJ won’t be a high volume receiver playing alongside DeVonta Smith and with Saquon Barkley getting a ton of carries.

AJ isn’t being greedy. He isn’t after more money. He just sees other guys being featured more than him and wants that. Receivers all have some diva to their personalities so this makes total sense. He’s been to a pair of Super Bowls and won one of them. Why not focus on Canton now? Plus, being a high volume receiver would allow him to have even more of an impact and feel like he’s helping his team even more.

Again, that is all speculation on my part. I talked to my nephew during last season and we got into a discussion on receivers. I mentioned AJ as one of the best in the league. He looked at me like I was crazy. “You think he’s anywhere close to Puka?” That really hit me like a ton of bricks. Fans pay a lot of attention to stats. The perception by casual fans might be that AJ isn’t on the same level as those guys. If AJ gets that sense at all, it would have to drive him crazy. He is incredibly talented.

So why isn’t AJ demanding a trade openly if he does want out? The cap issues make this complicated. Howie can’t promise AJ he’ll find a trade partner. The team has a good relationship with AJ and his agent. They are working together to get this done. Howie won’t let AJ go without fair compensation. He may not get what he ideally wants, but certainly has something he’d be comfortable with. If AJ openly demands a trade, that diminishes his value. Howie would then have to decide if moving him is worth it. By working together, the Eagles have a chance to get a better return and AJ has a better chance to go somewhere he would prefer to be.

Let’s say the Eagles do trade AJ in early June. How does that affect the team? Aren’t they clearly worse? How do you replace him?

You aren’t going to replace AJ one for one with another receiver. This is a bit of a moneyball situation where you try to replace his production through multiple players. The number three receiver on the Eagles has had a total of 52 catches over the past three seasons. That is insanely low. The Eagles either threw it to AJ, DeVonta, DG or they ran the ball. That certainly can work, but it also makes things easier on the defense. You become predictable. By adding multiple veteran receivers and spreading the ball around you can make the defense play more honest.

Fair enough, but what about the critical plays? AJ is a special player and can be a difference-maker in those situations. The problem is that AJ wasn’t that guy consistently last year. He had some costly drops. He wasn’t always running routes at full speed. His blocking fell off. He let his emotions affect his play and it showed to anyone who was watching. Do we think AJ is going to be more dialed in this year? Maybe, but there aren’t any guarantees, especially if he’s told the team he wants out. Football is hard. If you’re not fully bought in, it will show.

The Eagles have mentioned a couple of times that they think DeVonta can take a big step forward and be a volume receiver if the focus is on him. He’s a great route-runner and has strong hands. Seattle won the Super Bowl last year with JSN, an aging Cooper Kupp and Rashid Shaheed as their trio of receivers. Is that significantly better than DeVonta, Dontayvion Wicks and Marquise Brown? They had a great defense that was the key to their team. The Eagles finished 5th in scoring defense last year and expect to be very good this season. The Eagles aren’t trying to be the 1999 Rams. They still have plenty of talent on offense and will almost certainly add a TE and WR in next week’s draft. The 2017 team won it all with Alshon Jeffery, Nelson Agholor, Torrey Smith and Mack Hollins. You don’t need a pair of elite receivers to win.

The Eagles will certainly be less talented without AJ. They could be a better team, though. They have a new offensive scheme. They will have several veteran receivers who can contribute. Jalen Hurts will have more options and won’t be forcing the ball to AJ, which became a bad habit at times. Find the open guy and get him the ball. Doesn’t matter who it is. The real key to 2026 is the OL getting healthy and playing better. If the OL struggles again, it won’t matter who the receivers are. With a healthy OL and strong running game, the Eagles passing game should be able to get the job done.

There are no guarantees. Change brings on the unknown. The Eagles lost Seth Joyner and Clyde Simmons after the 1993 season. They replaced them with Bill Romanowski and William Fuller in 1994 and the team had a Top 10 defense. They replaced TO with Donte Stallworth in 2006 and had the #2 offense in the league. You can lose stars and still thrive. I could also give plenty of examples where things didn’t work out. I’m not in denial here. The point is that moving on from AJ doesn’t equate to the team definitely taking a step back. Seattle dealt DK Metcalf and got better. The Steelers dealt George Pickens and basically stayed the same (10-7 with and without him) and had almost identical offensive numbers.

This is a highly frustrating situation for everyone. AJ thinks a new team would make him happier. The Eagles don’t want to lose a star player. The fans think trading the star player is nuts and are absolutely against it. The media is just ready for it to be over, one way or the other. Waiting for June to find out if this will happen is draining.

Some will read this and think I’m way off or just stupid. That’s fine. My goal is just to explain things as I see them based on the evidence we have. AJ Brown has been one of my favorite Eagles. I don’t want to see him leave, but I also don’t want the guy from 2025. He was great at times (MIN) and then troubling at others (the painful playoff loss). I just want to try and shed some light as to what is going on with this situation. If you disagree, that’s absolutely fine. We’re all reading a complex situation from the outside.

We’ll get back to draft talk tomorrow.

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