Should Colts pursue Carson Wentz trade after new cost emerges?

Should the Colts pursue a trade for Carson Wentz if he comes at a discount?

The Indianapolis Colts will have a multitude of roster question marks to address this offseason, none of which are more important than the quarterback position.

While Philip Rivers has done an immaculate job under center since a rough start to the campaign — he’s thrown for eight touchdowns compared to one interception over the last four games — he obviously isn’t the long-term answer.

Eagles gunslinger Carson Wentz has been linked as a potential trade target in the past, but his fall from grace and subsequent benching has prompted fans to question whether unloading a shipment of assets would be worth the risk of reuniting him with head coach Frank Reich.

Well, with news that Philadelphia could bring down their reported asking price, should the Colts revisit the prospect of trading for him? Let’s break it down.

With Jalen Hurts looking more and more the part of a franchise quarterback, the Eagles are slowly losing their leverage over potential Wentz buyers. When you couple that with his awful run of performances this season (plus his bloated contract), it would make sense for them not to demand a first-round pick in return for his services.

At the same time, however, that doesn’t make trading for him a wise move for Indy. Though we’re firm believers that Wentz can return to the MVP form he showcased in 2018 and at the end of last season if he ends up in the right place, his albatross of a contract should make this a no-brainer decision for GM Chris Ballard: re-sign Rivers to another one-year deal.

For context, Wentz is owed $78.4 million over the next four seasons in base salary and comes with an annual cap hit of close to $33.5 million. Indy willingly choosing to absorb that deal for a player who was objectively one of the worst quarterbacks in the NFL this season would be organizational malpractice.

Running it back with Rivers under center would not only be a smart move considering how sensational he’s been after adjusting to the playbook, but it would also provide the Colts with more time to figure out who their potential quarterback of the future will be.

Given that nobody knows if Wentz’s confidence will be rostered even if he potentially reunites with his former offensive coordinator, giving up draft compensation to acquire him — Ballard tends to strike gold in the second and third rounds — would still be an entirely unnecessary risk in our eyes.

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