Eagles reportedly set sky-high price for their backup QB

Another day, another reminder that the Eagles aren’t just throwing darts when it comes to roster construction, they know exactly what they have, and they’re not giving it away cheap.

According to Jimmy Kempski of PhillyVoice, who cited ESPN Jets reporter Rich Cimini, the Jets recently poked around the Eagles’ quarterback room while exploring options tied to a potential move for Geno Smith. And when they did, they got a pretty clear answer from Philadelphia.

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It’s going to cost you.

“They looked into trading for guys like Tanner McKee and Davis Mills and Mac Jones… Those teams were asking for second-round picks for these guys, so, exorbitant prices.”

That’s not speculation. That’s the market, and more importantly, that’s where the Eagles have planted their flag.

Eagles value their QB pipeline more than you think

This report drops right after the Eagles traded a 2027 seventh-round pick for Andy Dalton, a move that initially felt like simple veteran insurance. But when you zoom out, it starts to look a lot more intentional.

Philadelphia clearly has no interest in moving off its young quarterback unless the return actually hurts the other team.

And honestly, it makes sense.

The Eagles have built one of the best developmental pipelines in the league. They don’t draft quarterbacks just to fill out camp arms, they draft them to either develop into legitimate backups or flip into real assets. If you want in on that pipeline, you’re paying a premium.

A second-round pick isn’t just a “high price.” It’s a message.

Eagles betting on leverage, not desperation

There’s also timing at play here. With a weak incoming quarterback class and multiple teams still searching for answers under center, the Eagles are operating from a position of leverage.

Teams like the Jets, Steelers, or anyone one injury away from a crisis could easily circle back. And when they do, the price probably isn’t going down.

If anything, it might go up.

That’s how Howie Roseman operates. He doesn’t sell early, and he definitely doesn’t sell low.

What this actually means moving forward

This doesn’t guarantee anything gets done. In fact, it probably means the opposite in the short term. Most teams aren’t coughing up a second-rounder for a relatively unproven quarterback.

But that’s kind of the point.

The Eagles are perfectly fine holding onto their guy, continuing development, and letting the market come to them. If someone gets desperate enough, they’ll listen.

If not, they still have a cheap, controllable quarterback in the room.

Either way, they win.