Carson Wentz Traded, Reunites With Frank Reich

After weeks of rumors, the Eagles finally traded Carson Wentz. The initial return for Philly felt a bit underwhelming, but there is a chance for it to become a solid deal after a year.

It happened, folks. After a career-worst season in 2020, the Eagles traded Carson Wentz to the Colts and are seemingly moving on with 2020 draft pick Jalen Hurts. In exchange, Philadelphia received a third-round draft choice this year and a conditional pick for next season. If Carson Wentz plays 75% or more of snaps for the Colts, the conditional selection will be a first-rounder. If he plays just 70 but the Colts make the postseason, it will still be a first. If neither of those conditions are met, it will be just a second-rounder.

The Colts have been in the quarterback market since the abrupt retirement of Andrew Luck, going through one-year stints with current backup Jacoby Brissett and Chargers legend Philip Rivers. Rivers, with the help of a great defense, steered the team to an 11-5 record and a playoff spot, but he retired after a first-round exit. Now a team considered “a quarterback away from Super Bowl contention”, the Colts had to make a move quickly. They did.

For the Eagles, it was an interesting run with the 2016 #2 overall pick. After a shaky rookie season, Wentz nearly won MVP of the league in 2017, throwing for 3,296 yards, 33 TDs, and 7 INTs in 13 games (11-2 record). An injury caused him to miss the final three games of the regular season and the playoffs, but the Eagles were able to collect the franchise’s first Super Bowl ring despite. In 2018, he was shut down early once again thanks to a back injury, but he had a decent season, throwing for 21 TDs and 7 INTs. In 2019, after an injury-prone label started becoming attached to his name, Wentz dragged a terrible Eagles roster to the playoffs, racking up 4,039 yards, 27 TDs, and once again, just 7 INTs. 

It seemed as if he had shaken off the injury history and fully cemented himself as a franchise QB, but a questionable hit from Jadeveon Clowney knocked him out of his first playoff game just minutes in. After that, the Eagles did nothing to instill confidence in him, drafting a quarterback in the second round of the 2020 NFL Draft. After a career-worst season inspired by a loss of mechanics, shaky offensive line play, and once again, a terrible receiving corps, Wentz was benched by the Eagles ¾ through the season. Hurts showed some flashes, and clearly, it was enough for Howie Roseman and the front office to move on from the once-beloved, but now overpriced passer.

The 2016 draft class has now seen its first and second overall picks get traded in the same offseason. With Dak Prescott’s free agency looming, could we see the three best signal-callers from that draft get moved? Stay tuned.

*All stats come from Pro Football Reference and StatMuse

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-By: Micah Jimoh