Through nearly two weeks of non-stop rumors and reports, there appear to be a pair of clear frontrunners in the race to trade for Carson Wentz. The Indianapolis Colts and the Chicago Bears have both made reported offers to the Eagles in a bid to land the former second-overall pick and it doesn’t look like they’re slowing down any time soon.
Regardless of who the better suitor for Wentz would be, the Eagles are only rightly concerned about the price. Roseman has allegedly been leveraging the phone lines in an attempt to drive up the market and maximize the value for Wentz, as any GM worth his salt would, but there does have to be an element of willingness from Wentz too…and that’s where the fun begins.
Over the past two days, both teams have made a change to their offensive coaching staff…and it’s hard not to connect the dots and speculate whether or not this is more than just coincidental.
Chicago Bears
The bears recently made John DeFilippo their ‘passing game coordinator’ after spending a year as the teams’ QB coach. The connection here is obvious. ‘Flip’ earned a job as the Vikings offensive coordinator after spending two years developing Carson Wentz into an MVP candidate.
While Wentz reportedly disliked his coaching style, it’s fair to say that DeFilippo got the best out of Wentz. Did he do the same in Chicago last season? Not so much…
There is at least reason to believe that this move was made with the acquisition of a new QB in mind after a flailing passing attack last year. With a greater influence on the scheme, Flip would be able to help craft the offense around the quarterback, and I think we can all agree he knows the strengths of Wentz and how to maximize them better than most.
Indianapolis Colts
Not to be outdone, the Colts hired Press Taylor as a ‘senior offensive assistant’ on Tuesday afternoon. Taylor was the QB coach who replaced DeFilippo, stepping up from an assistant role during the 2017 season.
By coaches, he’s most commonly known for bringing ‘the Philly Special’ to the attention of Pederson. By fans, he’s most commonly known for watching Carson Wentz slip and slide into a miserable state of form. His mechanics regressed in a monumental way and the flaws in his game are all coachable…they just weren’t being coached.
However, Wentz was said to have a much stronger relationship with Taylor. Much closer in age, the two became close and their dynamic was referred to on numerous occasions ‘buddy’.
What does this mean for the Eagles?
Well, given that Carson Wentz is at least going to have some say in where he spends the next few years of his career, especially as that will obviously enhance leverage, it’s interesting that both front-runners to land his services have given new roles to his former QB coaches.
On one hand, you have the Colts. Frank Reich worked with Press Taylor in 2016-17 and Reich is held in incredibly high regard by Eagles fans for the way the offense purred during that iconic Super Bowl run. Since leaving, his Indy offense has looked just as fun, even with an aging Phillip Rivers under center. This dynamic is warm for Wentz. It’s inviting. A strong offensive line, plenty of running back weapons to keep the weight off of his shoulders, and wholesome coaches.
On the other, the Bears. Why they would trade for Wentz is one question given their dire need for a QB, but why they would do so with Foles still potentially on the roster (if not included in the trade), and promoting a coach Wentz reportedly didn’t click with, is interesting. This may be the most chaotic setup possible and if Wentz somehow lands in Chicago with a combination of Foles and DeFilippo, this has the makings of a drama more exciting than Prison Break.
Both teams made a significant push this week to prepare for the arrival of a new QB, but which will Wentz and the Eagles favor more?
Photo by Kyle Ross/Icon Sportswire
