The Indianapolis Colts got the better of the Carson Wentz deal…or did they?
Nobody would deny that the Indianapolis Colts are taking a great risk by handing Carson Wentz the keys to their offense after he was unplayable for most of the 2020 regular season before he was benched in favor of rookie Jalen Hurts.
Still, however, the majority of fans were pleased with the trade.
After all, the Colts didn’t give up a backbreaking haul of draft capital (just two picks) in return for a quarterback with tremendous upside.
Not only does Wentz fit the age profile of a playoff-ready roster, but he also has the necessary intangibles a team would want in a franchise quarterback.
Despite that being virtually inarguable, it didn’t stop former general manager Mike Tannenbaum from maligning the Colts for making this trade. He event went as far as to say that Indianapolis now has the worst quarterback in their division.
That’s right, folks. The former Jets GM is of the mindset that Trevor Lawrence, who is widely expected to be drafted first overall by the Jaguars in two months, is already a better NFL signal caller than Wentz, a five-year pro who’s won over 51% of his games since entering the league.
.@RealTannenbaum believes the Colts now have the worst QB in their division with Wentz.
— Get Up (@GetUpESPN) February 22, 2021
"Trevor Lawrence is going to be a better quarterback than Carson Wentz." pic.twitter.com/r9kFcOEpiQ
Former GM Mike Tannenbaum isn’t a fan of the Colts’ decision to trade for quarterback Carson Wentz.
The worst part of Tannenbaum’s “argument” came when he said the Colts acted out of desperation and “negotiated against themselves, giving up two really high picks.” That analysis of the trade is literally the polar opposite of what seemingly every pundit and former executive in the industry have said about it.
You really think the report about the Eagles being frustrated by their return package leaked by accident? Not a chance. They set their evaluation of Wentz (two first-round picks) and only had one real suitor in the Colts after it was revealed that he didn’t want to play in Chicago. In what way does that reflect poorly on Indianapolis and GM Chris Ballard? Again, they gave up a third-rounder and a conditional second-rounder. That’s hardly a significant loss.
It’s been regurgitated countless times over the last few months, but go take a look at Wentz’s numbers with Frank Reich as his offensive coordinator. If there’s any head coach or system in the league capable of helping him get his career back on track, it’s Reich and the Colts’, and this telling ESPN graphic proves that.
A story in two graphics: why the Eagles were motivated to trade Carson Wentz and why the Colts believe it's a worthwhile investment to acquire him. pic.twitter.com/coXwKLKyZR
— Field Yates (@FieldYates) February 19, 2021
There’s no doubting that Deshaun Watson and Ryan Tannehill are both currently better QBs than Wentz after he produced a 72.8 passer rating this past season. However, we’re not long removed from the former No. 2 overall pick being considered a top player at the position. If he’s able to restore his confidence, there’s no reason to believe he couldn’t re-enter that conversation.
We’d be the first to admit that Wentz has a ton to prove after his disaster of a season, but that doesn’t mean Tannenbaum wasn’t out of bounds with these comments. Not only did the Colts fleece the Eagles in negotiations, but the 2017 Pro Bowler’s track record proves he’s a better quarterback than Lawrence, who, regardless of being considered a generational talent, has yet to even take a snap in the NFL.
Colts: Chris Ballard and Frank Reich have earned trust on Wentz decision
The Indianapolis Colts are receiving Carson Wentz, and Chris Ballard and Frank Reich should be trusted with the decision they've made.