February 08, 2021
Now that the Super Bowl is in the books, it seems like the next big event on the NFL calendar is for the Eagles to trade quarterback Carson Wentz.
OK, that's not really a date on the NFL schedule, but it certainly feels like it is. After trade rumors gained steam all last week, culminating in an ESPN report that a trade for the 28-year-old quarterback is "expected...in the next couple of days."
Well, we've arrived at the "next couple of days" and it's certainly starting to feel like a deal — $34 million in dead money and all — is imminent and could happen Monday or Tuesday. Again, that's just the feeling here, not any news that we're reporting.
According several reports, the Bears and Colts appear to be the two teams on the forefront of trade discussions with general manager Howie Roseman, who is reportedly driving a hard bargain and looking for a "Matthew Stafford package" like the ones the Lions received when they recently dealt the veteran quarterback.
On Monday, the latest report surfaced from Stephen Holder, senior writer at The Athletic covering the Colts, confirming not only that Indy is indeed in on Wentz, but also that Roseman's initial asking price for the QB is two first-round picks.
Here’s what I know:
— Stephen Holder (@HolderStephen) February 8, 2021
*The Colts are definitely in on Carson Wentz
*Yes, the compensation the Eagles initially asked for is two first-rd picks-plus
*Colts would never pay that
*Colts are confident they can “fix” him
*And, now, we wait. https://t.co/P6jL6IEbo9
About that high asking price, Holder added, "This part is my educated opinion: Howie Roseman knows it’s a preposterous price, but he’s trying to entice someone to get desperate. Never hurts to ask, I guess. The only real deadline here is the day Wentz’s bonus is due in March. So, time is on Howie’s side."
I would tend to agree with that, and it feels like some of the momentum building up behind this deal is simply Roseman doing his job as a GM and manufacturing some interest to try to drive up the asking price for Wentz, who is coming off the worst year of his career that featured an historic regression and ended with him getting benched for rookie Jalen Hurts. But, as Holder points out, the only real deadline for Roseman is the third day of the league year (likely March 19), when Wentz's roster bonus comes due, which gives him some time to worth with.
But the Eagles also do have some incentive to get a deal done sooner rather than later, as they have more leverage in negotiations when more teams are involved. And the longer this drags on, the more likely it is that other teams address their QB needs elsewhere and drop out of the already limited sweepstakes.
A trade to the Colts would not only reunite Wentz with former Eagles offensive coordinator Frank Reich, who was in charge during Wentz's most successful season in 2017, but also Press Taylor, who was close with Wentz during his time here as quarterback coach and appears set to join Reich's staff in Indy.
Stay tuned, as the rumors are likely to continue as this week rolls on...
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