Former Eagles QB continues to make the organization look like geniuses
A former Philadelphia Eagles star quarterback continues to make the Eagles’ front office look like geniuses in the latest news reports.
There was a point in time when the Eagles choosing Jalen Hurts over Carson Wentz was a risky decision.
Oh, how times have changed. On Monday, the Washington Commanders, an NFC East rival, released Wentz, saving over $20 million thanks to his departure. Wentz had two years remaining on his contract when he was released.
Think, the Commanders traded two third-round picks and swapped second-round picks to acquire Wentz from Indianapolis last off-season. Washington hoped it would get more consistent quarterback play to pair with a defense that was assumed to be better than it was.
Looking back now, Indianapolis won that trade by managing to off-load Wentz, who has struggled since leaving Philadelphia.
Wentz was traded by Philadelphia in the 2021 offseason. That same season he lost the starting job to Hurts, who went on to lead Philadelphia to the NFL playoffs in back-to-back seasons. Meanwhile, in 2021, Wentz floundered with the Colts and provided one of the most ironic late-season choke jobs when he lost a matchup to the Jaguars.
It’s hard to believe the Eagles made multiple trades during the 2016 NFL Draft to select Wentz as the No. 2 overall pick.
He had a magical season in 2017, where he was an MVP candidate before injuries got the best of him. That trend of injuries hasn’t stopped since Wentz left town. in the 2022 season, Wentz broke his right ring finger in a Week 6 win over the Chicago Bears. He was out for the next eight games. He then replaced Taylor Heinicke in a 37-20 loss at the San Francisco 49ers on Christmas Eve.
Since the trade with the Colts the Eagles have turned Wentz into the following: Pro Bowl WR AJ Brown, Pro Bowl CB James Bradberry, 1st round WR DeVonta Smith, 1st round DT Jordan Davis, 10th overall pick in 2023, and a 2024 2nd round pick.
Either way, Wetnz’s release from the Commanders only adds to a veteran-loaded quarterback free-agency class. But it is yet to be seen if Wentz will have any real suitors for his services. At each stop since Wentz left Philadelphia, he has managed to make the Eagles look even smarter for choosing to walk away from him as the team’s franchise quarterback.
Feature image via Bill Streicher-USA TODAY Sports
