The Indianapolis Colts’ continued pursuit for a new quarterback appeared to reach a boiling point over the weekend when it was reported that the Philadelphia Eagles were seeking two first-round picks in return for Carson Wentz, who was borderline unplayable for a large portion of 2020.
Trading for a quarterback who looked broken beyond repair has understandably split fans in terms of whether they would endorse such a move, but Wentz’s relationship with Frank Reich has done wonders to convince them that maybe he’s the only head coach capable of fixing him.
However, if the Eagles hold steady with regards to their evaluation of Wentz, the Colts simply have no other choice but to hang up the phone and ignore any further inquiries, and it would appear that a well-known pundit in the industry shares that mindset.
In an insightful rant that is bound to resonate with the fan base, “First Things First” co-host Nick Wright echoed the sentiment that the Eagles have some nerve to demand such a haul in return for the consensus worst quarterback in the league from this past season.
"The Eagles can probably get a single 2nd round pick for Carson Wentz. If someone offers them a 1st, they need to say yes & hang up. The idea that they are getting what you got for Jalen Ramsey for Carson Wentz is lunacy & will never happen." — @getnickwright pic.twitter.com/4XWfn6gd67
— First Things First (@FTFonFS1) February 10, 2021
The Colts need to listen to Nick Wright’s take on the Eagles’ demands for quarterback Carson Wentz.
To Wright’s credit, he first presented the idea of Wentz landing with the Colts since rumors of his benching first emerged in the middle of the season, so the fact that he came out this loudly against the Eagles’ asking price speaks volumes to just how outlandish they are.
It’s hard enough justifying giving up one first-rounder — let alone two and an additional pick — for somebody who finished 34th among 35 qualified quarterbacks in completion percentage (57.4%), yards per attempt (6.0) and passer rating (72.8). Despite playing in just 12 games, Wentz also somehow managed to tie for the league lead with 15 interceptions.
And for those who claim Wentz is a former No. 2 overall pick and was a borderline Pro Bowler in each of his previous four seasons, that holds zero substance in trade negotiations, which undoubtedly embrace the “what have you done for me lately?” mantra.
Chris Ballard:
— Kevin Bowen (@KBowen1070) February 8, 2021
"There’s a fine line between being aggressive and desperate. We are not going to operate in a desperate world...That’s what Twitter does….We will be aggressive when we need to be aggressive.”https://t.co/qpbyq0rCWe
If we were having this conversation last offseason, then the Eagles could certainly get away with demanding two firsts for Wentz after he willed them into the postseason despite his offensive line and wide receiving corps being decimated by injuries.
However, since the 28-year-old is fresh off one of the worst seasons put forth by a QB in the last couple years, the Colts would be out of their minds to meet Philadelphia’s demands. If there was ever a time for fans in Indy to be grateful that they have one of the most tactical GMs in the league in Chris Ballard overseeing operations, it’s now, because he’s not going to budge.
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