The clock is ticking for Carson Wentz.
No, not the long-term clock. That’s been ticking on Wentz since the moment the Eagles drafted Jalen Hurts in the second round of April’s draft. Anyone not lying to themselves could see that this franchise had doubts about Wentz’s future and wanted to secure a hedge just in case something close to an elite quarterback didn’t re-emerge from No. 11.
So far, we know the story there. Forget elite; the Eagles would settle for average right now. The idea of Wentz taking up huge chunks of the salary cap in years to come now feels foolhardy, even when you factor in how difficult it would be for this front office to get out of the contract before 2022.
But forget all that and let’s just focus on now.
There is no football reason why Wentz should be guaranteed to be the Eagles starting quarterback moving forward. Based on his play (among the very worst in the NFL so far), Wentz should be evaluated on a week-to-week basis. No, I’m not suggesting that head coach Doug Pederson make this public. But there’s a problem if the conversation isn’t happening privately.
Hurts is on the roster and part of the system, and I find it hard to believe the former Alabama and Oklahoma star would give this team a significantly worse chance to win right now. I would imagine some of Wentz’s teammates feel similarly. If they don’t this second, they might when the team watches film of Sunday’s ugly tie vs. the Bengals.
Wentz is bad right now.
Not “close to elite!” or “definitely top 10!” or “top five if you squint and tell yourself it over and over!” or any of the other things that we say about this player. Wentz has six interceptions through three games. He fumbled again vs. Cincinnati. We’re talking about a quarterback averaging 5.5 yards per attempt (Koy Detmer’s career mark, to put that into perspective) this year. Plays were left on the field. His accuracy is ghastly, especially on the fourth quarter deep pass to Miles Sanders that could have won the game. If not for good mobility (an actual positive development), Wentz’s play would have torpedoed a third straight game.
Seriously, give me a reason why the Eagles should continue to play Wentz unless something major changes soon?
His contract can’t be it.
Yes, the Eagles have an issue here. The double-whammy of the cap hit and numerous teams laughing them off the phone during offseason trade talks would be rough. But contracts and money shouldn’t determine playing time. That might be the case with guaranteed deals in baseball and basketball. It’s not in the NFL. Wentz might be a sunk cost, but it doesn’t have to sink the Eagles season. If Hurts gives the Eagles a better chance to win, there’s no financial penalty for making a switch sooner than any of us (including me) thought.
His status as the franchise guy can’t be it.
Donovan McNabb was once benched, and he had a list of credentials far longer and more impressive in that moment than Wentz does now. Wentz is 32-26-1 as an Eagles starter. That means he’s 12-15-1 since injuring his knee in Los Angeles in 2017. The NFL often stands for “not for long” so Wentz’s grasp on being a winner and leader of a winner doesn’t apply. It’s been years. Plus, did you see his body language in Week 3? It’s regressing, perhaps faster than his play. There’s little on-field leadership and very little evidence he can rally the troops when things go bad.
His grasp of the playbook can’t be it.
You’ll likely hear something like this a bunch over the next week: “Jalen Hurts isn’t ready to run the full playbook! He’s just not ready.” My retort: Who cares? First, Wentz’s “grasp” on the playbook doesn’t matter when he can’t be accurate on a screen pass five yards from him. It’s irrelevant. Second, look around the NFL. Josh Allen was considered a project. Lamar Jackson was considered a project. The old-school “learn the playbook for a year or two, then play” adage is over. It’s never been easier to come in and have an impact (especially for an athletic quarterback like Hurts) than it is now.
Remember what happened in Baltimore in 2018? Joe Flacco was cooked. The Ravens season was hanging by a thread because of an offense that just looked stagnant and out of touch with the rest of the league. John Harbaugh was on the hot seat (yes, really). Jackson took over in early November and the playbook was adjusted to his strength. The Ravens are 22-3 since.
No, I don’t think Hurts will be as good or dynamic as Jackson. But the Eagles brought up Jackson’s name during Hurts’ draft weekend. The Eagles hired Marty Mornhinweg, a Ravens coach that helped reshape and mold the offense in Baltimore for Jackson, to help with this transition now.
Jackson was a project, until he was a winner. Don’t pretend Hurts can’t be.
His relationship to Doug Pederson can’t be it.
In fact, it might be what sends this 2020 tale spiraling away from Wentz. At one point, it felt like Pederson and Wentz were married at the hip. Now? The only thing that might save Pederson’s job is another late-season run. Perhaps that run coming from a rookie quarterback could serve as Pederson’s Harbaugh moment and reset this coach here. Sticking with Wentz might be loyal. It also might cost Pederson his job.
I’m not calling for Wentz to be benched right now. But I don’t buy into the notion that the one-time MVP candidate should simply start all year, regardless of performance. The Eagles may turn out to be a bad team, but they are a bad team right now primarily because of this quarterback’s performance. If Hurts gives them a better chance to win, the Eagles owe it to every player in that locker room (and to us) to make a change soon.
That’s truly the golden NFL truth, and any reason to not play the best man for the job doesn’t hold up against it.