Report: Carson Wentz wants Eagles to trade him if Jalen Hurts continues to start
The Philadelphia Eagles are going to have an offseason filled with high drama.
ESPN’s Adam Schefter reported on Sunday that quarterback Carson Wentz is not happy with being bumped from his starting role in favor of Jalen Hurts, and would want to “move on” from the team if that continues.
Drama in Philly?
According to Schefter, Wentz, 27, isn’t interested in being Hurts’ backup and would want the Eagles to trade him if that’s their plan for him going forward. He is also reportedly “not pleased with the way events have unfolded in the organization.”
Wentz, who struggled this season, was benched during the Eagles’ Week 13 loss to the Green Bay Packers. Hurts started against New Orleans Saints the following week and led the Eagles to an upset win. Hurts was then named starter for Week 15 against Arizona, and while head coach Doug Pederson hasn’t publicly said that Hurts will start the rest of the season, that’s reportedly the plan.
To add to Schefter’s report, ESPN’s Dan Orlovsky reported last week that “a lot of people feel that Carson Wentz feels betrayed” by how things have gone down this season, and there’s a lot of “animosity” built up between him and the Eagles. Orlovsky also reported that Wentz misses former offensive coordinator and current Indianapolis Colts head coach Frank Reich, not just as a coach but as a human being.
Wentz should take responsibility for his play this season
If Wentz isn’t pleased with how all this has unfolded, how exactly should the Eagles have handled this situation? At every step the team bent backward to protect his feelings and confidence. It allowed him to start long past when other teams might have, especially with a rookie quarterback waiting in the wings, and gave him chance after chance to redeem himself.
Wentz has looked lost, confused and uncomfortable on the field during the 2020 season, so this could be a chance for him to step back and take stock of what he has been doing. Take the Josh Allen route and work on changing his mechanics to give himself a better chance of succeeding in 2021. Admit that his quarterbacking in 2020 was substandard and needs work.
If Schefter’s report is true, that doesn’t seem to be the route Wentz is taking.
Is Wentz untradeable?
Wentz has a hefty contract — a four-year, $128 million extension signed before the 2019 season — and that makes a trade difficult to pull off. But it’s possible. If Wentz wants out of Philly he could help the Eagles trade him by restructuring his contract.
The Eagles may be able to trade him, but they have to want to do that first. According to Schefter, the Eagles aren’t interested in that. They still believe in Wentz and want him to be a major part of the team in the future.
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