Given the ascent of Jalen Hurts, many have assumed the Carson Wentz era in Philadelphia is nearing its end.
If this notion is true, the next question is what would the Eagles be able to acquire in exchange for the veteran quarterback?
Unfortunately for Philly fans, the return on a possible Wentz trade might not be as appealing as they’d expect. Despite the 27-year-old being only a few seasons removed from legitimate MVP consideration, former Eagles president Joe Banner believes the franchise isn’t in a position to yield a first-round pick through a Wentz deal.
“If you’re the Eagles right now, what you’re hoping is that there’s more than one team interested in him, or at least that you can create the perception that there is,” Banner told The Philadelphia Inquirer’s Paul Domowitch. “If you can do that, then you have a chance of getting a decent pick. And by decent I mean most likely a second-round pick and maybe something else thrown in. A first-round pick, considering the contract they’re taking on and the way he’s played recently, I’m not going to completely take it off the table. But it’s unlikely.”
If Philadelphia is keen on moving forward with Hurts, it probably should be aggressive in its search for a Wentz trade suitor over the offseason. The No. 2 overall pick from 2016 will account for a combined salary cap hit of over $134 million over the next four seasons, and that’s simply too much money to pay a backup quarterback.
That said, the book on Wentz in Philadelphia probably isn’t closed yet. Plenty could happen over the final two weeks of the regular season, and he’ll likely have a chance to win his job back next summer.
