Eagles are Listening to Carson Wentz Trade Offers
PHILADELPHIA - Howie Roseman is listening.
So says NFL Media when it comes to a potential trade involving Carson Wentz, an almost unthinkable scenario when the Eagles signed the former No. 2 overall pick to a four-year, $128 million contract extension less than two years ago.
According to Ian Rapoport and Mike Garafolo, teams desperate for veteran quarterback help have begun to call Philadelphia to take its temperature on a potential deal, something sped up by the blockbuster trade that will send Matthew Stafford to the Los Angels Rams and Jared Goff back to the Lions at the start of the new league year in March.
For now, the Eagles remain steadfast in their plans to have Wentz back in 2021 under new coach Nick Sirianni but there are multiple layers to that, including Wentz's unhappiness with the organization and desire for a fresh start elsewhere.
Philadelphia would also want something significant in return for Wentz unlike the Rams, who sent two future first-round picks and a 2021 third-rounder, along with Goff, to the Lions in order to offload Goff's Wentz-like sized contract for Stafford, a player who the Rams consider to perhaps be the final piece of a potential Super Bowl puzzle.
As far as who might be calling the Eagles, the conjecture usually begins with Indianapolis due to the presence of Frank Reich with the Colts but there are plenty of other potential suitors, including San Francisco, Denver, New England, and the always unhappy with his QB Jon Gruden with the Oakland Raiders.
Wentz signed his extension in June of 2019, and the Eagles will suffer a significant dead-money charge of $33.8 million whether they trade or release the now sixth-year pro.
If a deal is agreed on prior to the second day of the new league year on March 19 before a $10M roster bonus is due, it will make things a little bit more manageable for Philadelphia when it comes to the salary cap.
A team acquiring Wentz would then take on $25.4 million in salary in 2021 and the rest of his contract.
To date, Wentz and his agents - Ryan Tollner, Bruce Tollner, and Chase Callahan of Rep 1 Sports - have not formally requested a trade but the QB's relationship with the team has deteriorated and the move away from Doug Pederson to Sirianni has not quelled Wentz's concerns with the organization.
A source told SI.com's EagleMaven that Wentz was particularly upset with losing autonomy at the line of scrimmage before being benched for Jalen Hurts last season.
While Wentz and Sirianni have spoken, it was just an introduction from the new coach's standpoint and the Eagles have been careful to be very vague when it comes to a potential QB competition in 2021 between Wentz and Hurts.
John McMullen contributes Eagles coverage for SI.com's EagleMaven and is the NFL Insider for JAKIB Media. You can listen to John every Tuesday and Thursday on "The Middle" with Eytan Shander, Harry Mayes, and Barrett Brooks on SportsMap Radio and PhillyVoice.com. He’s also the host of Extending the Play on AM1490 in South Jersey. You can reach him at jmcmullen44@gmail.com or on Twitter @JFMcMullen
Ed Kracz is the publisher of EagleMaven. Check out the latest Eagles news at www.SI.com/NFL/Eagles and please follow him on Twitter: @kracze.
