If Eagles quarterback Carson Wentz is traded this offseason he is hoping to land with the Indianapolis Colts, according to an NFL Network report.
You can listen to the full report below:
The reasoning for Wentz wanting to land in Indianapolis is obvious -- his former offensive coordinator Frank Reich is the head coach, and Wentz played his best football when Reich was the offensive coordinator.
What is also interesting about the report is that it mentions Wentz could have several teams interested, which is good news for the Eagles, as it would drive up the price of the return in a potential trade.
Wentz turned in his worst season in the NFL in 2020, leading the NFL in interceptions and having accuracy issues throughout the year.
Although the idea of trading Wentz just two years after handing him a $128 million extension seems crazy, it really isn’t, and if Wentz wants out the Eagles can make it happen fairy easily.
Wentz is currently set to have a cap hit of $34.67 million in 2021. Cutting him is a non-starter — it would move his cap hit up to $59.2 million, and put the Eagles at around $89 million over the cap. They will not be releasing Wentz.
Trading him, believe it or not, actually has a positive impact on the available cap space.
If the Eagles were to trade Carson Wentz prior to June 1st during the 2021 offseason, Wentz’s cap hit would go from $34,673,536 to $33,820,608. That is a savings of $816,928 in cap space.
Repeat: The Eagles save cap space in 2021 if they trade Carson Wentz.
Yes, Wentz would still be on the books for $33.8 million, a massive dead-money hit. But if the Eagles don’t believe he is the answer anymore internally, and Wentz wants out, there is no question it makes sense to take the hit now, avoid an ugly situation, collect an asset and trade Wentz instead of waiting and dealing with the financial implications later.
The Eagles’ will have Hurts and Wentz on the books in some form in 2021 no matter what, whether it is Wentz’s normal cap hit or the dead-money cap hit. There is no getting around that.
But by moving on from Wentz this upcoming offseason, the Eagles would have have him completely off the books in 2022.
A plan it sounds like Wentz would be on board with as well.
You can reach Eliot Shorr-Parks on Twitter at @EliotShorrParks or email him at esp@94wip.com!