The Eagles have been embroiled in a quarterback controversy seemingly since the day Jalen Hurts arrived as the 53rd pick in last year’s draft. At the time, many didn’t see Hurts as an immediate threat to Carson Wentz’s starting job, dismissing the former Heisman runner-up as a mere insurance policy for the injury-prone Wentz.
But as Wentz’s stock plummeted amid his deteriorating relationship with coach Doug Pederson, the struggling Eagles found themselves at a crossroads. As commander in chief, Pederson had a choice to make—either go down with the ship, following Wentz further into the depths of mediocrity, or call on the unproven Hurts in a last-ditch effort to save the Eagles’ season. Once Pederson handed the keys to Hurts, destroying what little chemistry he had left with Wentz, there was no turning back.
Some theorized that Pederson’s dismissal after Week 17 and the team’s subsequent hire of former Colts offensive coordinator Nick Sirianni was a sign the Eagles wanted to make things work with Wentz. But it seems that was wishful thinking as Adam Schefter and Chris Mortensen of ESPN reported Saturday that Wentz will be dealt in “the coming days,” ending any faint hope of a reconciliation.
Drafted second overall in 2016, Wentz never quite lived up to his early-first-round billing, though the North Dakota native was still brilliant in spurts, particularly in 2017 when he hurled a franchise-record 33 touchdowns before an ACL tear ended his season in Week 14. That would serve as an important turning point in Wentz’s Philadelphia tenure.
Resentful of fan favorite Nick Foles, who led the Eagles to Super Bowl glory in Wentz’s stead, the 6’5” gunslinger was never able to recapture his dominant pre-injury form. Beset by inconsistency (the Eagles’ patchwork receiving corps didn’t help matters) and other lapses including rumblings of complacency and poor practice habits, Wentz’s spiral finally came to a head in 2020 when Hurts replaced him in the starting lineup, maintaining that role for the remainder of the season.
A once-promising talent who let his ego get the best of him, Wentz leaves behind a complicated legacy in Philadelphia. It’s uncertain where the 28-year-old will land next, though Chicago and Indianapolis are thought to be his most likely destinations. Though Wentz did not look like a starting-caliber talent in 2020, a new set of eyes could work wonders for his development. Wentz is known to be a favorite of Colts coach Frank Reich, who served as Eagles offensive coordinator during his breakout 2017.
This is shaping up to be an unusually chaotic offseason with multiple quarterbacks on the move including disgruntled Texans star Deshaun Watson, who many predict will fetch the largest trade return of any player in NFL history.
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