There had been a tiny layer of speculation brewing in recent weeks that the Eagles might be interested in trading Nate Sudfeld. When the team lured Josh McCown out of retirement and made the veteran their new backup quarterback, Sudfeld became expendable.
The news of Andrew Luck’s abrupt retirement following complications from a persistent ankle injury sent shockwaves around the NFL Saturday night. Jacoby Brissett has ascended to the top of the Indianapolis Colts’ depth chart. But, the team doesn’t have much talent behind him. Phillip Walker, an undrafted quarterback out of Temple, gets the first shot to be Brissett’s backup.
The Colts courted Sudfeld in November 2017 before the Eagles’ magical Super Bowl run. According to PennLive, Sudfeld was still on the Eagles practice squad when Indianapolis called to offer him a spot on their 53-man roster. Eagles GM Howie Roseman picked up the phone and promoted Sudfeld to backup quarterback, a move expediated by then-offensive coordinator Frank Reich’s faith in him. Reich, of course, is now the head coach in Indianapolis.
“Howie got a hold of me pretty much immediately, and we discussed the prospects of going forward, and fortunately he made the decision to promote me,” Sudfeld told PennLive.
“It wasn’t a very difficult decision. It’s obviously flattering to get interest from anywhere, but I’ve wanted to stay here since I’ve been here. They’ve taken care of me, and I really see a great future with the team.”
Frank Reich & Nate Sudfeld Make Sense
Does Andrew Luck’s decision to say goodbye force the Colts to make a move? Sudfeld would be a logical and easy player to target in a potential trade. Colts head coach Frank Reich was Sudfeld’s offensive coordinator for two seasons in Philadelphia and was grooming him to take over one day for then-backup Nick Foles.
Reich left town before his understudy got promoted, but the familiarity and history is there. Sometimes, those two things are enough to force a deal. The quarterback and coach enjoyed a great relationship as Reich often praised Sudfeld’s quiet confidence and accurate arm.
“I feel very confident and comfortable with Nate,” Reich told PhillyVoice following Carson Wentz’s ACL injury in 2017. “Having been around the position a long time and getting a sense for how guys see and think and understand the game and how they process it, seeing them work on the field. I just have a high degree of confidence.”
The above comments came after watching Sudfeld for only a few weeks in practice and Reich emphasized that Sudfeld was “turning heads.”
“I think he’s an accurate passer,” Reich told PhillyVoice. “I think he’s really good fundamentally. He has really good mechanics. I think he’s accurate. I think he’s a good decision-maker. To be honest, Nate was turning heads in practice. Ask anybody what kind of practice Nate Sudfeld had last week. They’ll tell you he was turning heads.”
What Could Eagles Get for Nate Sudfeld?
The larger question from all of this is what can the Eagles ask for in a trade. The franchise has been notorious for robbing teams in desperate need of quarterbacks over the years. They famously sent backup A.J. Feeley to Miami in 2004 and received a second-round pick in return. In 2011, the Eagles dealt Kevin Kolb to Arizona for a second-rounder and Dominique Rodgers-Cromartie.
They pulled off the ultimate heist in 2016 when they sent Sam Bradford to Minnesota in exchange for a first-round pick in 2017 and a fourth-round pick in 2018. That trade might be the biggest rip-off in NFL history.
A 1st-rd pick for Bradford is a total score for Eagles. GM Roseman was adamant about keeping Bradford without heavy compensation. He got it.
Back to Sudfeld. What could the Eagles get back for an injured backup? Could they fleece the Colts for a second-round pick? That seems a tad unlikely. Remember, Sudfeld is expected to miss at least four more weeks. However, the Eagles should definitely ask for at least a fourth-round pick in any trade offer. Maybe inquire about backup offensive linemen, a guy like left guard Evan Boehm or left tackle Le’Raven Clark.
The Eagles could bolster their offensive line depth and then pull off a blockbuster to acquire the Texans’ Jadeveon Clowney. Colts tight end Ross Travis would also be a nice bargaining chip. Or linebacker E.J. Speed. Whatever the Eagles decide to do, they better strike while the iron is hot. Things cool pretty fast in the NFL and Sudfeld’s value will never get any higher than it is right now.
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Nate Sudfeld Trade Rumors Run Wild After Andrew Luck Retirement