Getty Carson Wentz is ready for the 2019 NFL season.
Hate has no home here. Especially not when it pertains to Carson Wentz. According to Bleacher Report’s Matt Miller, one anonymous NFL scout has tried to fan the flames on any negative talk about the Eagles oft-injured quarterback. This year is Wentz’s close-up — and he’s finally ready for it.
In an in-depth article chronicling the merits of keeping Wentz as the Eagles’ starting quarterback over Super Bowl MVP Nick Foles, Miller cited several sources who praised Wentz’s high football intellect and insane natural abilities. Wentz was even given a higher ceiling than the Chiefs’ Patrick Mahomes.
“I think people forget just how special Carson is,” one longtime NFL scout told Miller. “It’s not crazy to expect him to be on the level of Patrick Mahomes as the future of the position. Tom Brady and Drew Brees are nearing the end. The next 15 years, we could be talking about Pat and Carson.“
Carson Wentz Is Ready to Put His Stamp on Philadelphia—and the NFL
Another scout, one who works in the Eagles’ organization, commented that he’s been thoroughly impressed with what he’s seen from Wentz so far this summer. His opinion was the haters and critics were just posting negative reviews to get people to click on their flimsy articles.
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There have been other reports from camp that have been less optimistic, but one Eagles scout said to pump the brakes on any concerns being raised. “People are worrying just to get clicks,” he said.
“Training camp is when you learn. He’s working back from an injury and testing his limits and his body.”
Another personnel executive who scouted Wentz before the draft added: “Teammates loved him. Coaches loved him. All he cared about were hunting and ball.”
Even amid all the doubters there remains a steadfast base of Wentz supporters who feel the quarterback can do no wrong. Fox Sports’ Rob Parker declared on “Undisputed” that he believes Wentz will win NFL MVP — and he made it perfectly clear that Wentz would beat out Patrick Mahomes for the honor.
Carson Wentz Earns B+ from NFL Draft Analyst
Lance Zierlein, a well-respected analyst for NFL.com, recently revisited the 2016 NFL Draft and doled out new grades for all 31 players taken in the first round. He graded Eagles quarterback Carson Wentz with a B+ and pointed out that “Wentz has A-level talent and potential.” Of course, the topic soon touched on the 26-year-old superstar’s inability to stay healthy for a full 16-game schedule. Maybe it’s another case of someone looking for clickbait.
Grade: B+ | School: North Dakota State
Clearly, Wentz has A-level talent and potential. After all, he was a second-team All-Pro selection in 2017, when he was a top MVP candidate before suffering a season-ending knee injury in December. However, his grade has to take a small hit because of his injury history. He’s missed eight games over the last two seasons, with a back ailment sidelining him down the stretch in 2018. In fact, dating back to his senior season at NDSU, Wentz has missed out on playoff football each of the last three times his teams have advanced to the postseason. The Eagles paid a steep price to move up for him in the 2016 draft, and this grade shoots back up if he can stay healthy.
Wentz is not expected to play in tonight’s second preseason game against the Jacksonville Jaguars. Eagles head coach Doug Pederson hasn’t officially made that decision, but the evidence towards Wentz riding the pine has been trending up all week.
In fact, it doesn’t seem like the coach is ready to put his starting quarterback in any preseason contest this year. However, Pederson did admit there might be a downside to doing that.
“Well, downside would be something happens and say he missed the opening game or something like that with a tweak here or there,” Pederson told reporters. “That would be the downside. But you can’t put players in bubble wrap, either. This is the NFL. It’s football. There’s going to be contact and we just have to be smart with all our guys.”
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