The Indianapolis Colts were already considered the poster child of the NFL in terms of how to cultivate a roster, but their fleecing of the Philadelphia Eagles in the deal that saw them acquire Carson Wentz proves they might just be the gold standard of trade manipulation as well.
Well played again, Indy.
Wentz was linked with a move to the Colts months before the blockbuster deal came to fruition, so he, given his ties to Frank Reich, was pretty much identified as their top choice– in the event that Philip Rivers retired, of course — long before the start of the offseason.
The Eagles, however, made the mistake of overplaying their hand as soon as it became public knowledge that they were set on unloading Wentz.
The team reportedly demanded two first-round draft picks in return for their former No. 2 overall selection, who produced a 72.8 passer rating this season.
When the dust settled, they agreed to acquire a 2021 third-rounder and a conditional second-rounder that could become a first based on Wentz’s snap percentage. It could truly end up being a steal of epic proportions for the Colts if the 28-year-old manages to regain his confidence, and fans will love hearing that the Eagles are reportedly furious with how little they got in return.
Eagles not happy with Carson Wentz trade https://t.co/XLMr9Q7cm1 pic.twitter.com/jWYNli5D2t
— New York Post Sports (@nypostsports) February 20, 2021
The Eagles’ reported frustration with the haul they received for Carson Wentz is music Colts fans’ ears.
"“Not thrilled,” said Eagles reporter Tim McManus of ESPN when asked about the team’s reaction to the trade. “They recognize the return they got versus what they invested in Wentz does not match up. The reality is they were selling at a low point.”"
Does anybody else find this funny? Because we can’t stop laughing.
A 2021 third-rounder and a conditional second-rounder in 2020 to go with a crippling $33.8 million dead cap charge isn’t at all close to the return Philadelphia expected to receive given what they invested in Wentz (a second overall pick from five other picks, a four-year, $128 million extension, and multiple injury rehabs) over the last five seasons.
However, they simply couldn’t withdraw themselves from negotiations after making the former Pro Bowler available, because shopping him in the first place was likely enough to fracture their relationship with him beyond repair — if it wasn’t already unfixable, of course.
Despite the trade to Indianapolis, Carson Wentz will still have the largest cap hit on the Eagles' roster in 2021: a $33.8M dead cap charge, the largest dead cap charge in NFL history.
— Field Yates (@FieldYates) February 18, 2021
Regardless of what the Eagles chose to do with their former franchise quarterback, they were always going to come out as losers in the eyes of the public. And the fact that they’re reportedly beside themselves with how trade negotiations turned out should be more than enough for fans in Indianapolis to consider this deal a massive win in the Colts’ book.
Colts: Watch Carson Wentz arrive in Indianapolis after trade with Eagles
Carson Wentz has already arrived in Indianapolis to get to work with the Colts following the trade that brought him over from the Philadelphia Eagles.