After making a huge trade to move up to No. 2 in the 2016 NFL Draft for Carson Wentz, is it possible the Philadelphia Eagles rookie quarterback won’t even dress on game days?
Eagles beat writer Jimmy Kempski of Philly Voice believes this is exactly what will happen this season.
“Even if [Sam] Bradford gets hurt, count on pricey backup Chase Daniel to take over the reins as the starter,” Kempski writes. “There’s a very good chance Wentz won’t even dress on game day, as teams typically only keep two quarterbacks active.”
Given the ridiculous haul Philadelphia gave away to the Cleveland Browns in order to land the No. 2 overall pick (details here), it seems crazy that Wentz might not even suit up in a uniform this year.
That said, it certainly explains why the Eagles were willing to make deals for three quarterbacks this offeason. Daniel received a rich three-year contract worth $36 million to be the backup, and Bradford signed a two-year deal worth $35 million.
Back to Wentz, it’s not surprising that the Eagles want to take it slow with him. Coming out of FCS powerhouse North Dakota State, it seemed like a huge stretch to take such a huge risk on him in the first place.
Yes, he has all the physical attributes you want to see in a top quarterback. Yes, he is smart. Yes, he says and does all the right things. Yes, the Eagles have had nothing but positive things to say about him during offseason workouts.
But the jump from DII to the NFL is not easy. Wentz does need plenty of seasoning before he’s ready to take on the speed of the game at this level. Throwing him to the wolves at this point might ruin him forever, as we’ve seen happen with other top prospects in the past.
With this in mind, it’s not crazy to think Wentz will be on the sidelines this season wearing street clothes, soaking up the game from afar.