Philadelphia Eagles quarterback Carson Wentz wants out and the organization has started taking calls about their franchise quarterback. Now, not long after one Pro Bowl quarterback was traded, another franchise passer could soon be headed out the door.
Entering the offseason, the Eagles initially hoped to keep Wentz. They fired head coach Doug Pederson and hired Nick Sirianni, with a vision of the former Indianapolis Colts’ offensive coordinator salvaging the team’s franchise quarterback.
Instead, rumors continue to swirl about Wentz’s unhappiness with the organization. Unsurprisingly, quarterback-needy teams have reached out and a new wave of trade buzz is taking center stage early in the NFL offseason.
Philadelphia Eagles rumors: Will Carson Wentz be traded?
Carson Wentz reportedly planned in December to demand a trade. Unhappy with being benched in Week 13 and a perceived lack of trust from the organization, the 28-year-old planned to find a way out. Philadelphia fired Pederson, who had a fractured relationship with Wentz, hoping it would smooth things over with the franchise quarterback.
While the move might have helped ease a bit of the tension, Wentz remains unhappy with the front office and team owner Jeffrey Lurie. As a result, with his known desire to play elsewhere, rival clubs started calling the Eagles about a blockbuster trade.
Philadelphia Eagles rumors: Carson Wentz ‘isn’t pleased’ about playing in Philadelphia
According to NFL Network’s Ian Rapoport, the Eagles have engaged in trade discussions involving Wentz and he could be the next quarterback domino to drop. While it’s unlikely to happen this week, teams are showing more urgency in landing a quarterback and that could accelerate trade talks.
Any team trading for Wentz will have to weigh some of the risks. He reportedly tuned out Doug Pederson and didn’t take a ton of responsibility for his mistakes last season. This is the same quarterback who, despite only playing in 12 games, finished with a league-high 15 interceptions and 50 sacks taken.
Fans, coaches and teammates eventually realized it was time to bench Wentz, even if it meant rookie Jalen Hurts would take over as the starter. While the team didn’t improve much, the offense showed a bit more explosiveness and Hurts handled pressure better than Wentz.
Money will also be an important factor in a potential trade. Wentz is the eighth-highest paid quarterback in the NFL ($32 million AAV). He is owed $34 million next season and there will still be money owed to him, even if he is cut in the 2022 offseason.
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The Eagles shouldn’t expect a return that is anything close to what the Detroit Lions received for Matthew Stafford. Wentz was significantly worse this past season and carries more long-term concerns than Stafford. Plus, his contract will further push down the asking price.
If Wentz is traded this offseason, the Eagles will face a fascinating choice. Either they build the team around Hurts, who still needs time to develop, or they potentially snag a quarterback in the 2021 NFL Draft.