Carson Wentz has been traded from the Philadelphia Eagles To the Indianapolis Colts for a 2021 third-round pick and a conditional 2022 second-round pick. This trade isn’t as one-sided as it seems; if Carson Wentz plays above 75% of playtime, that conditional second-round pick can become a first-round pick.
That same second-round pick can become a first-rounder if Wentz plays at least 70% of plays and the Colts go to the playoffs. Also, with trading quarterback Carson Wentz the Eagles absorb 30 million dollars in dead money. The Eagles also now take on the biggest money cap hit in NFL history($33.8 million dollars).
What Does This Mean For Both Teams?
Indianapolis Colts
Philip Rivers is a newly retired quarterback; he spent most of his years with the Chargers and finished his career in a playoff loss with the Colts. The Colts defense was ranked first throughout the entire league for the 2020 season. Thanks to their two defensive all-pro leaders in DeForest Buckner and Darius Leonard. The only quarterback, the Colts, have on the roster under contract is fourth-round pick, Jacob Eason. Although the Colts don’t think Eason is terrible, they also don’t believe he is the quarterback who’s the answer.
Frank Reich is the head coach for the Indianapolis Colts, and he is a former offensive coordinator for the eagles the year they went to the super bowl. In Wentz last season, with Reich as his offensive coordinator, he produced 13 games, 3,296 yards, 33 touchdowns, and seven interceptions. Wentz also had a 60.2% completion rating with a 101.9 rating. In 2017 the year Wentz was last with Reich, Wentz was pff’s 5th highest ranked quarterback. The Colts win now, and I believe reconnecting Wentz and Reich is how to get them to the super bowl.
Philadelphia Eagles
In the 2020 NFL draft, the Eagles selected quarterback Jalen Hurts with their second-round pick. In week 14, Carson Wentz was benched for quarterback Jalen Hurts after suspect play throughout this season. Wentz was pff’s 31st ranked quarterback for this year. It has been clear that the relationship between Wentz and anybody in the Eagles organization has been fractured for a while.
In Hurt’s four-game span, he threw for over a thousand yards and six touchdowns. Hurts also rushed for 354 yards and three touchdowns. It was clear that going into next year, especially with a new head coach that Wentz wouldn’t be the starter next year, so it was likely they would both be moving on. The Eagles were already one of the teams significantly under the cap, and this trade only made it worse.