The San Francisco 49ers are in need of an upgrade at quarterback and have “made calls” to seek an asking price for Philadephia Eagles signal-caller Carson Wentz, according to NFL insider Benjamin Allbright on Monday.
The Niners are not alone either, as the Chicago Bears, Indianapolis Colts and Houston Texans have also shown interest, Allbright added.
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Is Eagles’ Asking Price Too High?
Philadelphia has a new sheriff in town in newly acquired head coach Nick Sirianni, which means the Eagles are in rebuild mode, starting at the quarterback position.
Wentz trade rumors began picking up steam over the weekend, but recent reports, including one from NFL Network’s Mike Garafolo on Monday, are suggesting the Eagles are unhappy with the trade offers they’re receiving. Therefore, they haven’t yet settled on a deal.
From NFL Now on @nflnetwork: No indications right now a Carson Wentz trade is imminent. Everybody playing poker, as the #Eagles wait for an offer that’s to their liking while the #Bears and #Colts explore their options.
The Eagles are looking for trade value similar to the Matthew Stafford blockbuster deal which sent the 13-year veteran to the Los Angeles Rams in exchange for QB Jared Goff, two future first-round picks and a third-rounder this April, according to NFL insider Albert Breer.
The Eagles’ initial asking price for Carson Wentz was an equivalent of the return that the Lions got for Matthew Stafford, per several sources involved. They’ll get less than that. How much less is the question.
But that it’s negotiable shows they’re ready to deal him.
Philadelphia still has some time to get Wentz off their books before the new league year begins on March 17, but if they wait, they will face a slight consequence. On the third day of the “new year,” the franchise would have to hand over Wentz’s $10 million roster bonus, so they are definitely looking for a deal sooner rather than later.
With nobody interested in meeting the Eagles’ high asking price for the 28-year-old Wentz, they should soon look to meet any serious suitors in the middle. And while it’s likely the Eagles could keep their former No. 2 overall pick around for another season, it wouldn’t make sense as they would risk his value decreasing even more than it did during his career-worst performance in 2020.
Is Wentz an Upgrade From Jimmy G?
The answer to choosing between Garoppolo or Wentz is an obvious one. While the 49ers made have spoken to the Eagles about a potential trade, the odds of that coming to fruition are merely slim to none.
Wentz had an MVP-caliber season during the Eagles’ Super Bowl-winning 2017 campaign, posting 33 touchdowns and only seven interceptions in 13 starts, but his production has dropped off ever since. This past season, he completed 251-of-437 attempts (57.4%) for 2,620 yards, 16 touchdowns and 15 interceptions through just 12 starts. He was benched on December 8 in favor of second-round rookie Jalen Hurts, who showed some promise in the team’s final four games.
As for Jimmy G, he was injured for the entire 2020 season, but when healthy, the Niners are confident the former second-round pick can lead them back to a Super Bowl appearance. But that’s just it, can he stay healthy for an entire season?
The 49ers need someone durable, sure, but that’s not going to come from a mediocre quarterback with a high asking price. The Niners can easily look to the draft for their future franchise quarterback to develop behind Garoppolo.
I’m sorry Niners fans who want Wentz to come to the Bay Area (if there are any), but if San Francisco is going to strike a blockbuster trade, don’t count on that particular one. But don’t count them out, at least, from looking around, especially at Texans star Deshaun Watson.
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49ers Reached out About Potential Blockbuster QB Trade: Report