The latest betting odds as of Wednesday evening deemed the Indianapolis Colts as the overwhelming favorite to win the Carson Wentz sweepstakes, and it surprisingly didn’t take long after that for a deal to come to fruition.
After previously being led on that the negotiating stalemate would continue for potentially several for days, the Colts agreed to acquire Wentz from Philadelphia for an objectively cheap haul — a 2021 third-rounder and a conditional second-rounder in 2022 that could turn into a first-rounder.
If you recall how repulsive Wentz was under center this past season, it’s a move that will definitely split opinions among fans.
You won’t be able to turn on sports radio until…well, Week 1 without hearing those opposing takes voiced loud and semi-clear.
Are we getting 2017 Wentz? What about 2020 Wentz? Somewhere in the middle, like from 2018-19? The calculus is enough to make your head spin and your right arm fumble.
However, every fan should be thrilled that general manager Chris Ballard held steady with his evaluation of the former No. 2 overall pick.
During the negotiation process, it was reported that the Colts weren’t entirely sold on Wentz as their long-term answer at quarterback, and the details of this blockbuster prove that they were only going to acquire him on their own terms, not the Eagles’.
Philadelphia has agreed to trade Carson Wentz to the Indianapolis Colts in exchange for a 2021 third-round pick and a conditional 2022 second-round pick that could turn into a first, league sources tell @mortreport and me.
— Adam Schefter (@AdamSchefter) February 18, 2021
The Colts proved they were never going to waver on their evaluation of Carson Wentz.
Unless you’ve completely written off Wentz as a competent quarterback, we just don’t see how fans could be flustered by this move. After all, the Colts couldn’t have played the negotiation game more perfectly.
Take a look at it through this lens: Indianapolis wanted every bit of reuniting Wentz with former offensive coordinator Frank Reich, had zero intention of moving heaven and earth in order to make it happen, called the Eagles’ bluff along the way, and ended up getting him for a haul that league insiders have widely regarded as a steal in their initial takeaways.
It’s duly noted that the Colts are taking a colossal risk by trading for Wentz after the abhorrent campaign he put together in 2020, but a trade only would’ve been viewed as a disaster if they’d met the Eagles’ ridiculous demands of two first-round draft picks.
A big sticking point for Chris Ballard in this deal was protecting themselves in case Wentz does NOT come around. And that is exactly why the conditions are attached to that 2022 pick. If the Colts have truly found their multi-year starter, they'll be happy to hand over a first
— Stephen Holder (@HolderStephen) February 18, 2021
If we told you at this point last week during the negotiation process that the Colts were going to acquire Wentz for a conditional second-rounder that could turn into a first and a third-rounder, you would’ve laughed in our face.
The fact of the matter is that the Colts just traded for a franchise-caliber quarterback in the middle of his prime (28) with tremendous upside who is just one season removed from completing 63.9% of his passes for 4,039 yards and 27 touchdowns to just seven interceptions, with several crucial members of his offense missing due to injury.
This is a good deal for the Colts, as they acquired the QB they wanted on their own terms. Don’t let anybody trick you into thinking otherwise.
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