Maybe the Eagles front office knew what they were doing when they selected Jalen Hurts in the second round after all. If this week has taught us anything, it’s that there’s a change in how QB’s are valued in this new age of the NFL. Not too long ago teams searched far and wide for that one franchise QB that they could invest in for the long haul but Carson Wentz and the 2016 QB class could be forcing a new view on how the NFL views the franchise QB.
Last week, Jared Goff, who is 27-years-old, was traded to the Detroit Lions for Matthew Stafford, who is 32-years-old. Not only was Goff traded, but the Rams also gave up two first-round picks and a third-round pick. A wild haul for a QB that may only have 2-3 good years left in him, but an understandable one given the weight of Goff’s contract.
We’ve all seen the potential that Carson Wentz has. He lit up 2017 before tearing his ACL and showed consistency in his numbers from 2018-2019. Unfortunately, 2020 was a different monster. While Carson was coming off of the high of leading a roster with practice squad players to the playoffs, the Eagles were thinking of how to stay competitive if Wentz were to go down with another injury.
Having rookie Jalen Hurts behind Wentz last season caused friction throughout the entire building. Who would’ve thought that Wentz would have to look over his shoulder from training camp and on? Then again, why did Carson Wentz feel like he needed to look over his shoulder for a rookie QB?
After a season of turmoil on and off the field that saw the former second overall pick regress in a terrifying way, it has left Carson Wentz at a crossroads. While he ponders whether he wants to compete for his job or possibly request a trade to an organization that could invest in him better, there’s something else to think about: His peers from the 2016 class.
Among the QB talent drafted, that year, only one is still on that same team – Carson Wentz. Jared Goff was traded to the Lions, Dak Prescott will be a free agent, Jacoby Brissett was traded to the Colts, and 6 out of the 15 QB’s taken are no longer in the NFL…and that includes Paxton Lynch.
Dak Prescott could be on the verge of a big contract depending on how the Cowboys view this year’s QB class but the odds aren’t in his favor. Still, Carson Wentz seems to be battling the tides of change instead of embracing the challenge.
While Hurts does pose a threat for his position, there are ways that the Eagles could use both QB’s without throwing off the other. For example, the Phillip Rivers-Jacoby Brissett dynamic that involved the new Eagles Head Coach, Nick Sirianni. Predictably, Sirianni has spoken glowingly of Wentz at every opportunity, but this should at least instill some sense of confidence.
The fact of the matter is that Hurts only has one advantage over Wentz and that’s his confidence. If, and I do mean if, Carson can find himself and trust himself then the sky is the limit for him. It’s now up to him to break the curse of the 2016 draft and prove to others why the Eagles chose him even if it means competing for the starting gig.
Photo by Rich Graessle/Icon Sportswire
