Report: Eagles want to trade an overrated player for two first round picks

The Los Angeles Rams moved on from Jared Goff, the top pick in the 2016 NFL Draft, last week and right on cue it seems that the second pick in that same draft is relocating next. ESPN’s Adam Schefter reported on Saturday that the Philadelphia Eagles are expected to trade Carson Wentz “in the coming days” and in a written report, stated that the Eagles will be weighing offers even as they “continue to insist to other teams that they would be happy to bring Wentz back to Philadelphia.”

I find it odd that Schefter would report that the Eagles will trade Wentz while also saying that the Eagles basically deny this, but Schefter’s phrasing this time does sound much more like a trade is imminent. It is not the same language as when it was reported that the Detroit Lions would trade Matt Stafford, but Schefter’s definitely putting his sources on the fire here.

(Not that any reporter is held accountable for being wrong or enflaming stories that never turned out to be true.)

According to Schefter, the Eagles would like a “Matt Stafford package” in return for Wentz, which could be interpreted a number of different ways given the Jared Goff inclusion in the deal. Was Stafford worth two firsts and a third and a quarterback or was he worth one first and the rest of the package was to take on Goff’s contract?

Probably more column B than column A.

But Wentz has done little to prove he’s still worthy of a team’s first round pick. Not even a late first. From the comments I’ve been reading over at Bleeding Green Nation recently, there’s certainly a strong opinion from some fans that Wentz has never flashed elite ability, even including 2017. And there was absolutely an acceptance from fans that Wentz could be moved and some felt that he definitely should be moved.

I found little defense of Wentz, but I’m not saying I read every comment at BGN.

In 12 starts last season, Wentz completed 57.4% of his passes with 16 touchdowns, a league-high 15 interceptions, 6 yards per attempt, and he was sacked an NFL-high 50 times. While it is true that Philadelphia had offensive line and receiver issues worthy of documentation, Wentz has had issues with how many sacks he takes throughout his career and the Eagles have often been in the conversation for best offensive line in the league.

That issue has led to an NFL-high 14 fumbles in 2016 and he had 16 fumbles in 2019, plus 10 in 12 games last season. It is also part of the reason that he has struggled to stay healthy throughout his career and despite the fact that the Eagles have gone to the playoffs three times during his tenure as starter, Wentz has thrown four postseason passes. Ever.

Outside of his 2017 season — when Doug Pederson did wonders so miraculous that Super Bowl MVP Nick Foles had 11 touchdowns and two interceptions during his five starts (all wins) — Wentz has been an anchor. The Eagles are 17-21-1 since 2018 when Wentz starts. They are 5-4 when he doesn’t, including a 4-1 record for Foles and a 1-3 record for Jalen Hurts.

Consider also that any team that trades for Wentz will know that they are acquiring him from a team that spent a second round pick on a quarterback last year. Why would a team do that? So that Hurts could play four snaps a game? Or to protect their interests because they feared this day was coming, whether it was because of injuries or interceptions?

If Philadelphia has been preparing for this moment for a year, what does that tell the acquiring team about their opinion on Wentz?

Stafford doesn’t come without his concerns, but he’s been an ironman for most of his career, he’s been successful for a wide range of coaches and teammates, he’s always been praised as a leader, and he has more playoff experience since 2016 than Wentz does. Wentz has been in the NFL for five years and he was arguably the worst quarterback in the league last year. Stafford has been in the NFL since 2009 and he hasn’t been anywhere near that conversation since 2009. He wasn’t playing for the Patriots.

He’s been playing for the Lions.

So there is no comparison between Stafford and Wentz other than the one that separates them by a mile. If the Eagles trading him is imminent, and they manage to do similar damage as to what Brad Holmes did to his former team for the price of Stafford, it will be a move worthy of admiration for the Eagles.

But...why was it that they fired Doug Pederson again?