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There has been a lot of confusion about Carson Wentz’s immediate future in Philadelphia. Let’s end all the uncertainty.
Despite the team drafting Jalen Hurts in the second round — and GM Howie Roseman admitting that his conversation with Wentz was “uncomfortable” — the franchise remains committed to Wentz. He is the undisputed leader in the locker room and franchise quarterback moving forward.
Remember, Wentz signed a $128 million deal with the Eagles last offseason. They are “married” to the 27-year-old out of North Dakota State.
“We are married to Carson Wentz,” Roseman told NFL Network’s Ian Rapoport. “Coach Pederson & I, Mr. Lurie & I — we are all married to Carson. We’ve shown it with our actions.”
It confirms what Roseman has been saying since making the pick last week, only with even stronger conviction.
“I think that Carson is a phenomenal player, and we think Carson is a phenomenal player,” Roseman told reporters on draft night. “Nobody is going to be looking at a rookie quarterback as somebody who’s going to be taking over a Pro Bowl quarterback, a guy who’s been on the cusp of winning an MVP.”
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Did Doug Pederson Make Final Call on Hurts’ Pick?
Another topic of conversation in recent days has been where the decision to draft Hurts came from. Roseman’s official title is executive vice-president and general manager and normally he has the final say on personnel.
However, the head coach has to be on board with the talent coming in. He calls the offensive plays and pieces together the depth chart. Doug Pederson can’t make a square peg fit in a round hole.
Earlier this week, ESPN reporter Sal Paolantonio revealed that Pederson was the one who wanted Hurts. He fell in love with Hurts’ dynamic skillset.
“This was Doug Pederson’s pick,” Paolantonio told 97.3 ESPN in South Jersey. “He and [quarterbacks coach] Press Taylor want to transform this offense. They need to be more dynamic and productive and more reliable at the quarterback position and Jalen Hurts does that for them.”
Taylor went down to watch Hurts’ pro day at Oklahoma before the COVID-19 pandemic hit, then interviewed the quarterback at the NFL Scouting Combine. The entire coaching staff came away feeling impressed with Hurts.
“I want to make a point here first and foremost that Jalen Hurts is a good quarterback,” Pederson said on draft night, “and he was drafted as a quarterback and he’s a quarterback first, but he has a unique skill set that he’s a great runner.”
Eagles VP of Player Personnel Saw Hurts in Person
Andy Weidl is the Eagles’ vice-president of player personnel and an integral part of the front office’s brain trust. He serves as Roseman’s right-hand man, the same role current Jets GM Joe Douglas occupied last season. He was another guy who pushed for the Eagles to select Hurts.
In fact, Weidl traveled to Oklahoma last October to watch Hurts’ Sooners take on West Virginia. The dual-threat quarterback accounted for 391 yards and five touchdowns that day, including 316 passing yards and three scoring strikes through the air. Oklahoma won in a rout, 52-14. What stood out the most?
“His strength, his ability to throw and run and make plays,” Weidl said. “I just saw him … he’s part of the new guard, the mobile quarterbacks in the league that can win throwing it or running it, and just an uncanny toughness, poise and his competitiveness. A natural leader that’s led two major college football programs to conference championships and in playoff games. His starting record speaks for itself.”
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