There is a strong case to be made for the Philadelphia Eagles trading Carson Wentz in the offseason. The one-time franchise quarterback appears to be broken and the heir apparent (Jalen Hurts) is already on the roster. Just do the deal, to quote a local car dealership.
However, it’s not quite that simple when factoring in his $128 million contract, salary-cap ramifications and overall track record. Wentz is only three years removed from an MVP and Super Bowl campaign, not to mention a historic 2019 season that saw him set numerous records.
While multiple trade rumors swirl around Wentz, there is another groundswell of support for keeping him in Philly. ESPN’s Adam Schefter reported the Eagles intend to keep the 27-year-old kid from North Dakota State. It’s a sentiment that one rival NFL GM agreed with in remarks to NBC Sports’ Peter King, too.
⚡️ Five things seem obvious in Philly (congrats, Mr. Hurts) ⚡️ Ugly truths emerging in Pittsburgh ⚡️ Inside the cloudy world of contact tracing ⚡️ Awards, Quotes, Factoids, 10 Things + more
t.co/NwjkD5ODTn
One GM whose team will be in the market for a quarterback this offseason told me last week he will seriously study Wentz when the season ends. He said: “What’s happened with him concerns me. But I’ve seen him play well too many times to think there’s some fatal flaw there. I don’t think the Eagles will move him. I wouldn’t if I were them.” It’s tampering for a GM to say, “I’m interested.” But I can sense there will be some interest if the Eagles decide to trade him, questionable contract and all.
Follow the Heavy on Eagles Facebook page for the latest breaking news, rumors and content!
Doug Pederson Choosing Words Carefully
Head coaches get paid a ton of money to keep an even keel locker room. It’s a full-time job between managing egos and providing positive reinforcement — and, sometimes, it’s a challenging balancing act when negativity or controversy arises.
It seemed as if Doug Pederson was doing his best tight-rope walk after Sunday’s game. He made a point not to shower Hurts with too much lofty praise.
“Jalen got the start this afternoon, and I thought overall, there were some good things,” Pederson said on Sunday. “Kind of gave us a spark as a team that I was looking for, and I think we were looking for as a team. But you know, this win today is not about one guy.”
Let’s go Jalen Hurts! 😤🦅🏈
On Monday, the Eagles head coach admitted that he had Wentz’s feelings in mind when evaluating Hurts’ performance. He doesn’t want to completely wreck the kid’s confidence.
“I was thinking about Carson, but I was thinking about the rest of the team and how the rest of the team played in the game,” Pederson said. “There were a lot of positives coming out of the football game and I just didn’t want to say, ‘Hey, it was all about one guy,’ because you guys know me and my answers.”
Hurts Garnering National Support
The national media has jumped off the Wentz Wagon with reckless abandon. ESPN’s Dan Orlovsky, one of the most passionate Wentz supporters over the years, thinks the Eagles may be at the point where keeping both him and Hurts isn’t “even remotely possible.” And his colleague, Ryan Clark, put the upset victory over the New Orleans Saints squarely on Hurts’ shoulders.
“I can’t necessarily say that Jalen Hurts is the sole reason that the Philadelphia Eagles beat the New Orleans Saints,” Clark said. “But I can say that Carson Wentz not being the quarterback is the reason the Philadelphia Eagles beat the New Orleans Saints.”
READ ALSO:
‘Fatal Flaw There’: NFL GM Discusses Interest in Trading for Eagles QB