Mark Sanchez PHILADELPHIA, PA – NOVEMBER 22: Quarterback Mark Sanchez #3 of the Philadelphia Eagles reacts to throwing an interception in the fourth quarter against the Tampa Bay Buccaneers at Lincoln Financial Field on November 22, 2015 in Philadelphia, Pennsylvania. (Photo by Rich Schultz/Getty Images)

The Philadelphia Eagles are wheeling and dealing as they move quickly to move on from the brief Chip Kelly era. The latest move orchestrated by general manager Howie Roseman on Friday was the dealing of quarterback Mark Sanchez. Sanchez was traded to the Denver Broncos in exchange for a conditional seventh-round draft pick in the 2017 NFL Draft.

Sanchez was likely on the outside looking in on the quarterback situation in Philadelphia after the Eagles re-upped with Sam Bradford on a two-year deal and signed Chase Daniel to a three-year deal with new head coach Doug Pederson taking over the helm. Pederson said this week Daniel was going to be the team’s second-string quarterback behind Bradford, thus putting the writing on the wall for Sanchez.

By moving Sanchez, the Eagles are now off the hook for an additional $4.5 million on the payroll for the 2016 season. Sanchez was due a guaranteed $1 million in 2016 for his base salary. The Eagles have cleared a bunch of cap space in the past week by trading away players in exchange for draft picks. Much of that money was tied to dead weight on the team, players that lacked production for one reason or another in 2015 during a playoff-less season.

The Eagles were somewhat fortunate to be able to get anything for Sanchez, even if it is a seventh-round pick. Sanchez now heads to Denver, a team in need of some quarterback depth coming off a Super Bowl championship. Peyton Manning retired and Brock Osweiler was lured away by the Houston Texans, leaving Denver in need of quarterback options. Sanchez may even get a chance to compete for a starting job barring any additional moves (Colin Kaepernick?) and what happens in the NFL Draft.

Roseman took some early criticism for some of the moves he made, like shipping off DeMarco Murray via trade with the Tennessee Titans, but so far he has done well in transforming the roster for the new head coach and trimming payroll in the process. He has also added some additional draft picks in 2016 and 2017, which can come in handy after Kelly willingly gave away a second-round draft pick and a starting quarterback to get Bradford from St. Louis last season. The jury is still out on Roseman, who once lost his job and is now attempting to prove how much of a mistake that was. Free agency seems to be generating some good vibes so far, but the big test is still to come, the NFL Draft.

The Eagles are not putting together a Super Bowl-caliber team, but it does have the look and feel of one that is attempting to build a new identity that should get back to some basics. That could be just what is needed for now.

[CSN Philly]

About Kevin McGuire

Contributor to Athlon Sports and The Comeback. Previously contributed to NBCSports.com. Host of the Locked On Nittany Lions Podcast. FWAA member and Philadelphia-area resident.