Philadelphia Eagles quarterback Carson Wentz reportedly wanted a trade before the team eventually fired Super Bowl-winning coach Doug Pederson. With a new head coach in place, it seems that may still not be enough to make Wentz happy.
The Eagles benched Wentz in Week 12 after the former All-Pro quarterback regressed to a point where they could no longer justify starting him. Jalen Hurts, the team’s second-round pick in the 2020 NFL Draft, initially provided a spark and some hope for the franchise. Following an ugly collapse to end the season, with Philadelphia finishing at the bottom of the NFC East, changes were made.
Despite hiring an offensive-minded coach with a background in helping to get the most out of quarterbacks, that reportedly might not help bridge the divide between Wentz and the Philadelphia Eagles.
Carson Wentz still has issues with the Eagles’ organization
Throughout the hiring process, the Eagles made it clear to prospective candidates that they still viewed Wentz as their franchise quarterback. Team owner Jeffrey Lurie and general manager Howie Roseman sought a brilliant offensive mind who could salvage Wentz’s career.
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Ultimately, Philadelphia settled on Nick Sirianni. He worked under Frank Reich, the former Eagles’ offensive coordinator who played a huge role in Wentz’s All-Pro 2017 season, as offensive coordinator for the Indianapolis Colts. Thanks to his familiarity with the Eagles and his background in coaching quarterback, Lurie and Roseman believed Sirianni was the right coach to fix Wentz.
However, according to NFL Network’s Mike Garafolo, Doug Pederson might not be the only person Wentz had a problem with in Philadelphia.
“I mentioned this when Doug got fired and everyone said that ‘Well, means Carson Wentz is back’…No. There is more to this. This a guy who, I am told, feels a little bit off in his relationship with the entire organization. A lot of people. There are a lot of hurt feelings on his end with how this whole thing was handled. I am not saying he is justified or not justified, I’m just telling you that my understanding is it is more than just the head coach for him. There are still more conversations that need to be had. When I say Sirianni is going to talk to him, don’t forget the front office is going to talk to him and see if they can work through their feelings and work through this whole thing and see if they can get back on the same page.”
NFL Network’s Mike Garafolo said on SportsRadio 94WIP Morning Show on Monday (H/T Bleeding Green Nation).
Rumors of Wentz’s unhappiness in Philadelphia first started emerging in December. When Nick Foles departed, Wentz likely hoped that he would no longer feel pressured by a beloved backup quarterback sitting behind him. But the Eagles drafted Hurts, a decision that seemingly triggered more issues for Wentz.
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Not long after signing a huge contract extension, Wentz entered the season as the unquestioned starter. But it didn’t take long before things unraveled. Before long, Wentz reportedly started having issues with the coaching staff and teammates suggested a change at quarterback.
Read More: Carson Wentz reportedly ignored Doug Pederson, resisted coaching during atrocious 2020 season
There’s plenty of time for this situation to be resolved. Sirianni will meet with Wentz and go over how this offense can become more quarterback-friendly in 2021.
If those talks don’t go well, it likely won’t be long before the Carson Wentz trade rumors start again. Unfortunately for the Philadelphia Eagles, thanks to his massive contract and poor play, the team likely wouldn’t get much back in return.