One thing that doesn’t get pointed out very often about the Philadelphia Eagles is that amidst all the praise for the defending Super Bowl champions, there is also a lot to lose for the franchise in 2025.
These Eagles don’t just have the capability to win a second straight Super Bowl, they’re favored to do so. Which means they should make a move to improve at backup quarterback by trading for former Tennessee Titans starter Will Levis.
In 2024, the Eagles made a move for another former starting quarterback from the AFC in Pittsburgh Steelers first round pick Kenny Pickett. It turned out to be a deft move and essentially the best insurance policy Philadelphia could buy.
Pickett also ended up getting another chance to start after one season with the Eagles when he was traded to the Cleveland Browns — essentially what every backup quarterback in the NFL hopes for.
Levis is already on the outside looking in with the Titans, who drafted University of Miami quarterback Cam Ward with the No. 1 overall pick in the 2025 NFL draft — pretty much as starter-ready of a quarterback who has come out of college in recent years.
Bleacher Report’s Alex Ballentine listed Levis as the Titans’ No. 1 trade asset. Levis, a second round pick in the 2023 NFL draft, has gone 5-16 as Tennessee’s starter over the last 2 seasons but has also thrown for 21 touchdowns and 16 interceptions.
“The Titans had the easiest assignment at the top of the draft: Take the passer with the best shot at becoming a franchise quarterback,” Ballentine wrote. “They deserve some credit for doing the simple, smart thing and taking Cam Ward with the first pick.”
What Deal for Levis Would Look Like for Eagles
The Eagles already have a template in place for what a trade for a top notch backup quarterback would look like after last year’s deal for Pickett. Most importantly, they have a war chest of draft picks to make deals with. In 2026 alone, the Eagles have a projected 12 picks.
In this proposed trade with the Titans, the Eagles get Levis in exchange for a 2026 fifth round pick, straight up. If the Titans balk at that, the Eagles might go as far as to add a 2026 seventh round pick. Levis is on the books for approximately $1.6 million in 2025 and $2 million in 2026.
Eagles Don’t Have Great Options at Backup QB
While faith in last year’s third string quarterback, Tanner McKee, seems to be at an all time high after he performed well with a win over the New York Giants in the regular season finale. It’s still hard to argue Levis isn’t a much better option — 21 career starts vs. 1 career start.
The Eagles also obtained another backup quarterback, Dorian Thompson-Robinson, from the Browns in the trade for Pickett, and drafted a quarterback in the sixth round in Syracuse’s Kyle McCord, who is probably still one year away from being able to be a viable backup for Super Bowl MVP Jalen Hurts.
