While preparing for his second NFL season, Philadelphia Eagles quarterback Carson Wentz was hit with some upsetting news.
The Eagles, much to Wentz’s chagrin, traded budding wide receiver Jordan Matthews and a 2018 third-round pick to the Buffalo Bills in exchange for cornerback Ronald Darby. Matthews conceivably will become the No. 1 wideout in Buffalo after the Bills dealt Sammy Watkins to the Los Angeles Rams on Friday in a separate deal.
According to Martin Frank of The News Journal, Wentz met with Howie Roseman after the deal took place and informed the Eagles executive vice president of football operations that he wasn’t happy with the trade. The second-year QB understands the business side of the game, but his friendship with Matthews made the wideout’s departure tough to take.
“Obviously, he (Roseman) knew how I felt with Jordan being one of my best friends,” Wentz said. “So on the personal side, it was tough. He knew that. He was prepared for that, and I told him that. But keeping business, business, that’s just part of this.”
In sending off Matthews to his new home, Wentz, along with five other Eagles teammates, took the fourth-year receiver out to dinner before Wentz drove him to the airport.
“This is my first time experiencing this with someone that’s one of my best friends,” Wentz said. “Seeing him (Friday), it was tough on him too. It was kind of out of the blue. There’s really no other way to put it. It’s just tough personally.”
It won’t be long until Wentz and Matthews are able to reconnect, though. The Bills and Eagles will square off Aug. 17 in a Week 2 preseason matchup.
Thumbnail photo via Kirby Lee/USA TODAY Sports Images
