Protection? Check. Weapons? Check.
One happy quarterback? Check
When the Eagles used their first three draft picks on offensive tackle Andre Dillard, running back Miles Sanders and wide receiver JJ Arcega-Whiteside, there was probably no one happier than Carson Wentz.
And as much as Howie Roseman said the board just fell that way, you'd certainly understand if the Eagles gave it a nudge in that direction. Not just because the Eagles have an offensive head coach. But because at some point, either this year or next, the Eagles are going to give Wentz a mega-extension to lock in their franchise quarterback for the next five or six years.
With Dillard, they made sure to protect that investment.
With Sanders and Arcega-Whiteside, they gave Wentz even more tools to be successful.
As he has in recent years, Wentz made sure to send congratulatory text messages to his newest teammates shortly after they were drafted. That's part of his leadership role. But he probably didn't have to feign excitement with these two. The 26-year-old franchise quarterback also expressed his excitement on social media.
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Welcome, my man! Let's go! #FlyEaglesFly https://t.co/reO93RGJnn— Carson Wentz (@cj_wentz) April 26, 2019
Let's go young fella! Welcome! #FlyEaglesFly https://t.co/2yNb3HipII— Carson Wentz (@cj_wentz) April 27, 2019
Another playmaker joining the squad! Congrats and welcome brotha! #FlyEaglesFly https://t.co/5IhF3DHpEf— Carson Wentz (@cj_wentz) April 27, 2019
It's no secret that Wentz will be under immense pressure this year. He would have been under pressure anyway, but now he's replacing Nick Foles, the guy who became a folk hero in his absence. The good news is that Wentz is further removed from his knee injury, but is now returning from a back injury. There are warranted questions about his health, but they won't be answered immediately. Wentz will just have to prove he can stay on the field.
If Wentz can stay on the field, the Eagles are very optimistic he'll return to his MVP-level form from 2017. And they're giving him every advantage to be great this year and long-term with the draft.
Just take a look at the offense around him:
RB: Jordan Howard, Miles Sanders, Corey Clement, Wendell Smallwood, Josh Adams
WR: Alshon Jeffery, DeSean Jackson, Nelson Agholor, Arcega-Whiteside, Mack Hollins
TE: Zach Ertz, Dallas Goedert, Richard Rodgers
OL: Jason Peters, Isaac Seumalo, Jason Kelce, Brandon Brooks, Lane Johnson, Dillard, Halapoulivaati Vaitai, Jordan Mailata, Matt Pryor
On paper, that's an offense that could be downright dangerous in 2019.
Now, among the Eagles' Day 1 and Day 2 picks, it seems like Sanders might have the most immediate impact. But Dillard and Arcega-Whiteside give the Eagles depth and are one injury away from being starters. And Dillard projects to be the Eagles' left tackle of the future; that's a big deal.
Truthfully, we won't know for years how this draft class will fare, but there's a good chance these players will help Wentz be successful. If that happens, it'll be worth it.
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