With talk that some trading partners would balk at giving the Eagles a first-round pick for Kevin Kolb, there are indications that the folks in Philly believe Kolb is worth more than a first-rounder.
For starters, PhiladelphiaEagles.com is touting comments from Charley Casserly about Kolb’s trade value, with an article on the team’s official web site headlined, “Former GM: Kolb worth more than a first.”
The story on the Eagles’ site also notes that teams routinely give up more than a first-round pick when they want to move up in the first round to draft a quarterback: The Jets, for instance, traded a first-round pick, a second-round pick and three players for Mark Sanchez. The story on the Eagles’ site says Kolb has done more in the NFL than any rookie just entering the league and should therefore be worth more in a trade than any rookie just entering the league.
But that’s just not the reality of how trades work in the NFL: Teams are willing to give up a bounty to move up in the draft. Just as the Falcons gave up more to acquire Julio Jones than they would have given up to acquire some team’s No. 2 receiver (and just about any team’s No. 1 receiver), the Jets gave up more to acquire Sanchez than any team would give up to acquire the Eagles’ No. 2 quarterback.
So there seems to be a disconnect between what the Eagles think they deserve for Kolb, and what the Eagles are actually likely to get for Kolb. Which makes it easy to wonder whether Kolb might end up staying in Philadelphia for another year as Michael Vick’s backup in 2011.