With each passing day the chances of Carson Wentz ever putting back on an Eagles’ uniform seem to go down, and as of Saturday morning, those chances seem to be almost at zero.
What is interesting is that Nick Foles’ chances of putting an Eagles’ uniform back on seem to be going on.
As the messy divorce between Wentz and the Eagles continues it seems the Chicago Bears, along with the Indianapolis Colts, are one of the teams with the most interest in trading for the former franchise quarterback. The Bears, of course, currently have Foles on their roster — and unless Wentz is going to sign off on a reunion with Foles, chances are any deal with the Bears will have Foles coming back to the Eagles for a third time.
Let’s take a look at the potential of an Eagles trade with the Bears.
To start, the Bears having interest makes plenty of sense as they check off the one box the Eagles need in a trade partner more than any other — they are desperate.
Not only are the Bears in need of a quarterback, but they have a head coach in Matt Naggy and a general manager in Ryan Pace who are both on the hot seat. If things do not turn around in Chicago this year both will be gone in 2022. That means not only are they going to be swinging for the fences, but they are also going to be more willing to trade future picks, since they might not even be with he team beyond 2021.
The Bears are not in great shape financially to absorb Wentz’s contract, but that could change quickly. The team is currently, according to Over The Cap, around $10 million over the salary cap. They should be able to clear up some space, and the salary cap going up from the projected $175 million will help as well. There is also the likelihood that if Wentz is traded he will re-do his deal, which would help the Bears fit him under the cap.
In terms of compensation, the Bears have the 20th and the 52nd pick in the first two rounds of the 2021 NFL Draft. The 20th pick is a good spot for a potential trade. It is a first-round pick, which is what the Eagles are looking for, but it isn’t in the top half of the draft and it is far enough away from realistically being able to draft a quarterback, which could make the Bears more willing to deal it. At worst the 52nd pick in the draft is a solid asset for the Eagles to get back. There is also the potential for a 2022 pick, which could be a straight up first-round pick, or a second-round pick that could turn into a first.
Now let’s get to Foles.
Foles is currently set to make $4 million in fully guaranteed base salary in 2021. That isn’t a ton for a veteran backup, especially one with his resume. It is also possible Foles could re-do his deal to help facilitate a trade back to Philadelphia. Either way, the money for Foles isn’t nothing, but it also should’t be a factor in whether the Eagles acquire him or not.
The real question is whether Foles would be a distraction or not for whoever the Eagles do decide to go with at quarterback.
There is no question Foles is not your average backup. The trophy outside of Lincoln Financial Field makes that pretty clear. The history and baggage he has with Wentz, however, would not be there with either Jalen Hurts or a rookie quarterback the team might draft. Foles knows how to handle being a high-profile backup, something he did perfectly in 2018, when he was coming off of a Super Bowl MVP but faded into the background until the end of the season when Wentz was hurt and he had to step in.
Would Foles be a normal backup? No. But he would be a great mentor to a young quarterback and an asset to Nick Sirianni as he tries to build a winning culture in Philadelphia. Foles would only go in if the starter were to go down, or if things got really ugly on the field — and like they were in 2017 and 2018, the Eagles would be happy to have Foles if they needed a backup.
Whether Wentz ends up in Chicago or Indianapolis or another team remains to be seen. There is no doubt, however, the idea of a trade that ships out Wentz and brings in Foles would feel like a fitting end to the quarterback drama that has dominated this team for three seasons.
You can reach Eliot Shorr-Parks on Twitter at @EliotShorrParks or email him at esp@94wip.com!