Has Carson Wentz’s frustration with Eagles’ management, most notably Howie Roseman, fractured their relationship beyond repair? It appears so, and according to the betting odds, the Indianapolis Colts and Chicago Bears are favorites to trade for the Philadelphia Eagles quarterback.
Since the Philly QB’s unhappiness with the Eagles became public knowledge, trade speculation has taken over. That, and the fact that the club selected his potential successor Jalen Hurts high in the draft last season.
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Now the focus shifts to the fallout. If Wentz is traded, which team will he end up on? FanDuel Sportsbook posted the odds on the most likely teams to trade for Wentz with the Colts, Bears, and Houston Texans favorites to acquire him.
The Colts and Bears being the heaviest favorites make sense, as both teams are in desperate need of starting quarterbacks. Wentz trade rumors heated up before the Super Bowl, but have died down since.
One thing to keep in mind is that next season’s salary cap number is decreasing. If a team is going to make a move for Wentz, it will most likely be soon, so that they can sort out the rest of their rosters after making such an expensive move.
Indianapolis Colts +125
On paper, the Colts make the most sense for Wentz, and that’s why Indianapolis has been one of the most-discussed landing spots for him. The Colts have a clear need at quarterback following the retirement of Philip Rivers. Indianapolis finished the season with an 11-5 record and a playoff appearance. This team is built to win now, which is why they need quality quarterback play before their window closes.
Colts’ head coach Frank Reich was the Eagles’ offensive coordinator when they won the Super Bowl in 2018. Wentz started that season off on fire and was a legitimate MVP contender before getting injured. In Indianapolis, Wentz would also be reunited with former QB coach Press Taylor and former Eagles OC Mike Groh. Both parties are familiar with each other and the success of that season is undeniable.
Financially, Indianapolis has $78 million in available cap space and could afford Wentz’s contract.
If Reich and Colts GM Chris Ballard think they can revive the pre-injury Wentz, I wouldn’t be surprised to see him starting in Indy next season.
Chicago Bears +150
General manager Ryan Pace and head coach Matt Nagy didn’t get fired, but they also didn’t receive extensions, which makes both lame ducks. The pressure is on to win this season or both will likely be gone in 2022.
One of the biggest reasons their jobs are in jeopardy in the first place is Paces’ swing and miss on drafting QB Mitchell Trubisky over Patrick Mahomes and Deshaun Watson. Now, Trubisky will be a free agent, which means the only potential starting candidate left on the roster would be Nick Foles.
The rumors have been running rampant about the Bears and Wentz, but nothing has transpired. ESPN’s Eagles reporter Tim McManus lists the Bears as a possible trade destination. McManus reported today that “the wheels are in motion” after a league source told him that Philly “has already received aggressive offers” in deals for Wentz. Many of those rumors also have Foles going back in the deal, if it were to happen.
With the Bears only having the No. 20 pick in the first round of the draft, their best shot at landing a QB who can immediately come in and play is via a trade.
Houston Texans +450
If Deshaun Watson is dealt, the Texans would have a huge hole at quarterback. That is unless they deal Watson to say Miami or New York and get a quarterback in return. Either way, Houston comes in third on the list.
This one confuses me a little as Houston doesn’t have the cap space right now, nor do they have a first or second-round pick to move for Wentz. Again, this could be a purely speculative play based on some kind of Watson deal happening prior.
After the Colts, Bears and Texans, there’s a big drop off to the rest of the list. The Washington Football Team comes in at +900, followed by the Denver Broncos at +1200, and the New England Patriots at +1500.
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The WFT reportedly made a strong offer for Matthew Stafford, so it would make sense for them to get in on the action here. For the Broncos, Drew Lock showed flashes last season, but all the offseason rumors point to them still being in the hunt for a quarterback.
The Patriots still don’t have a starting quarterback and they also have the cap space to be able to absorb Wentz’s contract. You know Bill Belichick is kicking the tires on every potential quarterback out there, but they remain a long shot at +1500.