How much draft value did the Eagles gain by 'tanking' vs. Washington?

On the surface, it didn't seem like a big difference whether the Eagles ended up with the No. 6 pick or the No. 9 pick in the NFL draft.

That was part of the national outcry after the Eagles put in third-string quarterback Nate Sudfeld in the fourth quarter of a game the Eagles trailed by three points Sunday night. They lost 20-14 and thus will end up picking sixth in the draft as opposed to No. 9 had they beaten Washington.

The logic was that it's still a top-10 pick, something that's coveted by a team like the Eagles looking to add a difference-maker to an aging and injury-ravaged roster.

But look closer.

It could mean the difference between wide receiver Julio Jones (2011), quarterback Justin Herbert (last spring) or safety Jamal Adams (2017) at No. 6, and wide receiver John Ross (2017) or offensive lineman Ereck Flowers (2015) at No. 9.

Sure, there have been busts at No. 6, too, such as linebackers Vernon Gholston (2008) and Barkevious Mingo (2013).

Sometimes the difference between the two spots is getting a perennial Pro Bowl player and a very good player. That happened in 2018, when the Indianapolis Colts picked guard Quenton Nelson sixth and the 49ers picked tackle Mike McGlinchey ninth.

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Both have started every game they have played in, but Nelson has been selected to the Pro Bowl in each season, while McGlinchey has not.

For the Eagles, the No. 6 pick could mean getting a quarterback, or having their first choice of top wide receivers among Alabama's DeVonta Smith, who won the Heisman Trophy on Tuesday night, or LSU's Ja'Marr Chase, or a cornerback in Alabama's Patrick Surtain II.

There are still good players available at No. 9. Some of the best in recent years are offensive tackle Tyron Smith (2011) and linebacker Luke Kuechly (2012).

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But this year, it's likely that by the ninth pick, the top quarterbacks will have been selected, along with at least one of the wide receivers and maybe Surtain.

And if the Eagles covet one of the top three quarterbacks, expected to be Clemson's Trevor Lawrence, Ohio State's Justin Fields and BYU's Zach Wilson, it's easier to trade up from No. 6 than it is from No. 9, obviously.

After finishing 4-11-1, Eagles general manager Howie Roseman made it clear: "That's something we have to hit on, the sixth pick in the draft, in a huge, huge way."

The chances of that, according to the website draftek.com, are much better than at No. 9.

Draftek.com values the No. 6 pick at 1,600 points and the No. 9 pick at 1,350 points, a difference of 250 points. The website gives a point value of 250 to the No. 4 pick in the third round.

So let's say the Eagles wanted to trade up to No. 3 for a quarterback. That's possible because that's where the Miami Dolphins pick (from a previous trade with the Houston Texans). The Dolphins aren't looking for a quarterback since they drafted Tua Tagovailoa last year at No. 5.

Draftek values the No. 3 pick at 2,200 points, meaning the Eagles would have to surrender the equivalent of their No. 6 pick (1,600 points) and their second-round pick (530 points) either this season or next.

If the Eagles were trying to get there from No. 9, it would mean that No. 9 pick (1,350 points) plus another 800 points. For this draft, that's the equivalent of the No. 21 pick in the first round. That means the Eagles might have to surrender their first-round pick this year and in 2022, or perhaps a first and third-round pick this spring, plus a second-rounder in 2022.

Whether you trust Roseman to make the right decision is another question.

The Eagles have not had their own top 10 pick since 2013, when they picked No. 4 overall. Roseman was the general manager back then, with Chip Kelly as the coach.

He hit that year with offensive lineman Lane Johnson, who has started every game he has played in and been selected to three Pro Bowls.

The only other time since then the Eagles had a top 10 pick was in 2016 when Roseman made two trades to move up from No. 13 to No. 2 for Wentz. 

The Eagles have not hit on their first-round picks in recent years when they were picking in the latter half of the round. There was outside linebacker Marcus Smith at No. 26 in 2014, wide receiver Nelson Agholor at No. 20 in 2015, and most recently, wide receiver Jalen Reagor at No. 21.

The part that could haunt the Eagles was that Justin Jefferson went with the very next pick to the Minnesota Vikings. Jefferson finished with 1,400 yards receiving, setting an NFL rookie record.

Reagor, while promising, missed five games to have thumb surgery and finished with 396 yards receiving.

"I would just say if there's a guy that's playing really well that we were looking at in the draft, or decide to go in a different direction (by releasing a drafted player), those things hurt," Roseman said. "Those things are punches to your gut."

Here, then, is a look at the players selected No. 6 and No. 9 in the five most recent drafts, and the Eagles' first-round pick that year:

2020

No. 6 Justin Herbert, QB, Chargers: 15 starts, 4,336 yards passing, 31 TDs, 10 INTs, passer rating, 98.3.

No. 9, C.J. Henderson, CB, Jaguars: 8 starts, 27 tackles, 1 INT.

Eagles, No. 21, Jalen Reagor, WR: 11 starts, 31 receptions, 396 yards, 1 TD

2019

No. 6, Daniel Jones, QB, Giants: 26 starts, 5,970 yards passing, 35 TD, 22 INTs, passer rating, 84.1.

No. 9, Ed Oliver, DT, Bills: 23 starts, 8 sacks, 76 tackles.

Eagles, No. 22, Andre Dillard, LT: 4 starts (spent 2020 on injured reserve).

2018

No. 6, Quenton Nelson, G, Colts: 48 starts, 3 Pro Bowls.

No. 9, Mike McGlinchey, T, 49ers: 44 starts.

Eagles, no first-round pick.

2017

No. 6, Jamal Adams, S, Jets (now Seahawks): 58 starts, 2 INTs, 21.5 sacks, 3 Pro Bowls.

No. 9, John Ross, WR, Bengals: 20 starts, 51 catches, 733 yards, 10 TDs.

Eagles, No. 14, Derek Barnett: 30 starts, 124 tackles, 19.5 sacks.

2016

No. 6, Ronnie Stanley, T, Ravens: 62 starts, 1 Pro Bowl.

No. 9, Leonard Floyd, OLB, Bears (now Rams): 70 starts, 1 INT, 29 sacks.

Eagles, No. 2, Carson Wentz: 68 starts, 16,811 yards, 113 TDs, 50 INTs, passer rating 89.3, 1 Pro Bowl.

Report: 2 offensive assistants not returning

Veteran offensive coaches Rich Scangarello and Marty Mornhinweg will not be returning, according to an ESPN report.

Both were hired last offseason after head coach Doug Pederson fired offensive coordinator Mike Groh. The Eagles didn't have an offensive coordinator this season as Pederson continued to call plays, like he has since becoming head coach in 2016.

Scangarello served as a senior offensive assistant (he later called plays during hurry-up situations), and Mornhinweg as a senior consultant to work with rookie quarterback Jalen Hurts.

It's possible that the Eagles could hire an offensive coordinator. The Eagles are also looking for a defensive coordinator with Jim Schwartz leaving.

Contact Martin Frank at mfrank@delawareonline.com. Follow on Twitter @Mfranknfl.