Carson Wentz, the former Philadelphia Eagles quarterback, is headed to the Indianapolis Colts in a trade finalized Thursday morning. Once an MVP candidate, Wentz quickly declined in Philadelphia and is looking for a resurgence on his new team.
The return compensation was minimal for someone who was once so highly valued. The Colts sent a 2021 3rd round pick and a 2022 conditional 2nd round pick. The conditional aspect being that if Wentz plays over 75% of the snaps or the Colts make the playoffs, it would then become a 1st round pick.
Ultimately, the trade for the Colts is low risk and high reward. Without giving much in return, the organization gets a leader that can potentially put them over the top with Frank Reich as head coach.
Reich and Wentz have a special connection. Reich was the offensive coordinator for the Eagles during their 2017-18 Super Bowl season when Wentz was playing at an MVP level. On top of this, Reich played quarterback in the NFL and can relate to what Wentz is going through better than most coaches.
With such an important position being filled for such a low price there’s bound to be some negatives. Carson Wentz holds a massive contract that lasts until 2025. The good news is the Eagles were forced to take the largest salary cap hit in NFL history, losing over $33 million in dead space.
Philadelphia and Wentz no longer mixed. After struggling with the third-highest off-target throw percentage, lower than only Drew Lock of the Denver Broncos and Dwayne Haskins of the Washington Football Team, the Eagles benched their former star for rookie quarterback Jalen Hurts. The team’s receiving core didn’t help, leading the NFL in dropped pass percentage.
With a new but familiar system, Wentz will look to get back on track with a great supporting cast. Philadelphia had the second worst pass blocking last season, compared to Indianapolis ranking 7th. Along with this, the Eagles failed to give Wentz the proper weapons to move the ball on offense.
Overall, this is another great move for the Colts’ future. Frank Reich will have a familiar face to lead his team for the foreseeable future. If Wentz does get back to his MVP level performance, the Colts will become immediate Super Bowl contenders for a small cost.
