Getty Colts quarterback Carson Wentz, formerly of the Eagles.
Since being hired, neither general manager Joe Schoen nor head coach Brian Daboll has shown any indication that they’d like to move off of Daniel Jones this offseason. In fact, they’ve shown the complete opposite, with Schoen telling reporters at his introductory press conference that the New York Giants will build an offense around the soon-to-be fourth-year signal-caller.
However, while the new regime may be taking a cup half-full approach when it comes to the former Duke Blue Devil, there’s no denying that Jones is far from a sure thing. With just 12 career victories under his belt and failing to eclipse 11 touchdown passes in each of the past two seasons, the organization would be wise to — at the very least — bolster their depth behind Jones. No Giants fan should ever have to live through another Mike Glennon/Jake Fromm start again. And the Alex Tanneys and Davis Webbs of the world simply won’t cut it.
While the team may be reluctant or even flat-out opposed to wagering their future to enter the Russell Wilson sweepstakes, CBS Sports’ Cody Benjamin believes making a play for Colts quarterback Carson Wentz could potentially be in New York’s wheelhouse. With Wentz’s tenure in Indianapolis on the fritz and the G-Men seemingly opposed to clicking the restart button, Benjamin views the Giants as a “possible” landing spot for the former No. 2 overall pick.
“New management has spoken highly of Daniel Jones, and the cap situation isn’t ideal. But if coach Brian Daboll is interested in competition without a total reset, he had a similarly skilled (albeit better) QB in Josh Allen with the Bills,” wrote Benjamin. “New assistant general manager Brandon Brown worked for the Eagles during Wentz’s peak, as did assistant Mike Groh. Plus, they’d allow the Colts to ship him back to the NFC, where the Giants have seen his best stuff firsthand.”
Wentz Is Likely Done in Indy
While Wentz never quite looked like his former MVP-level self with the Colts, early returns in Indianapolis pointed towards him solidifying the team’s quarterback position. His overall production was fairly impressive, throwing for 3,563 yards, 27 touchdowns and just seven interceptions in a run-first offense. However, things took a drastic turn for the worse towards the end of the regular season.
With the playoffs in sight, the Colts endured a colossal collapse in early January, capped off by a season-finale loss to the woeful Jacksonville Jaguars that halted their postseason dreams — and likely Wentz’s tenure with the franchise.
“When we made the decision, after Philip [Rivers] retired and we made the decision to make a move on Carson, at the time of the decision we felt good about it and I still don’t regret the decision at the time,” Colts GM Chris Ballard said on January 11, via ESPN. “Sitting here today, just so y’all know, I won’t make a comment on who is going to be here next year and who is not going to be here next year. That’s not fair to any player.”
Wentz Expected to Be Moved by Mid-March
If the Giants do indeed decide to toss their name in the Wentz sweepstakes, they have approximately one month to make a play for him, according to ESPN insider Chris Mortensen.
“Right now, it looks bleak,” Mortensen said of Wentz’s future with the Colts on a February 13 airing of ESPN’s “NFL Countdown,” via NJ.com. “By March 18, he will probably be traded or released. Wentz has $50 million of his base salary guaranteed. For Carson Wentz and the Colts, it looks like it was a one-year marriage that went wrong.”
While the plan in East Rutherford is, and should be, to see what the team truly has in Daniel Jones, the idea of a 29-year-old Wentz serving as a contingency plan has its merits. Of course, the finances are the biggest potential drawback in this scenario. That, and the question of how Wentz would handle being a backup — at least out the gates. Still, if any team knows how good the former Philadelphia Eagles quarterback can be when he’s on his game, it’s the Giants.
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