The Philadelphia Eagles have traded Carson Wentz to the Indianapolis Colts for a 2021 third-round pick and a 2022 conditional second-round pick that could turn into a first-round pick if Wentz plays 75% of the snaps or 70% and the team makes the playoffs.
WHAT DOES THIS MEAN FOR WENTZ?
Carson Wentz’s career has been nothing short of a rollercoaster ride. Wentz was initially drafted by the Philadelphia Eagles with the second overall pick in the 2016 draft and caught fire almost instantly. In his first year, he set multiple NFL and Eagles’ rookie records and in his second year led the Eagles to an 11-2 record catapulting him into a front runner for league MVP before suffering a torn ACL, ending his season.
In 2019, Wentz became the first QB in NFL history to throw for more than 4,000 yards with no wide receiver over 500 yards but took a major step back in 2020 which led to his eventual benching in Week 13. Wentz finished 2020 with just over 2,500 yards passing, 16 touchdowns, and a career-high 15 interceptions. That’s a significant fall from grace.
So, does a change of scenery project well for Carson Wentz? That’s certainly the hope. There have also been rumors about issues with his work ethic and entitlement in terms of the starting QB role in Philadelphia leading to friction with ownership and the former head coach Doug Pederson. Despite rostering Zach Ertz and drafting Miles Sanders, the Eagles have struggled to surround Wentz with offensive talent over the years leading many to believe Wentz has been tasked with shouldering the load in a less than optimal situation leading to his poor performance and this eventual fallout.
Wentz departs from an organization in turmoil both in the front office and on the field and enters an organization in much better standing. Firstly, he gets to start anew with head coach Frank Reich (former Eagles’ OC during Wentz’s MVP-caliber season) and the Colts front office but more importantly, he ends up in a much improved on the field situation. It’s no secret the Eagles offensive line is subpar but to put it in terms we can quantify we can look to PFF for some assistance. PPF graded the Eagles offensive line as 19th overall in the league compared to the Colts who were ranked 7th overall. That is a significant upgrade considering Carson Wentz was sacked a league-high 65 times in 2020.
Not only will he see upgrades on the offensive line but also at the skill positions. The Colts drafted the elite running back prospect, Jonathan Taylor who appears to be a three-down back with endless potential, something Wentz hasn’t had the luxury of since he entered the league in 2016. He will also be working with a solid group of young receivers led by Michael Pittman Jr. and Parris Campbell. While the Eagles attempted to bring Jalen Reagor in to provide Wentz with more weapons it was too little too late.
This instantly boosts Carson Wentz’s dynasty value. If you believe in Wentz you’re a happy camper but if you don’t this would be your time to sell because Wentz truthers are all out of excuses if this deal goes sideways.
WHAT DOES THIS MEAN FOR THE COLTS?
Anyone watching the Colts last year could see they dealt with inadequate quarterback play. Truthfully, Phillip Rivers was painful to watch and could barely get the ball downfield without a grimace on his face. Wentz should immediately improve the passing attack for the Colts and also draw some of the focus away from the backfield, giving Taylor more opportunity to succeed.
Michael Pittman and Parris Campbell should benefit from the Wentz arrival. It was shocking to see Pittman finish with an aDot (average depth of target) under 10 yards and you have to credit Rivers with that stat. As for T.Y. Hilton, he was all but washed up but this trade may breathe some life into his dynasty value. Again, this would be the prime time to sell someone like Hilton who is on his last leg.
WHAT DOES THIS MEAN FOR THE EAGLES?
So, what about the Eagles?
Wentz on the move opens the door for the Konami Code, Jalen Hurts. Great news for managers rostering Hurts. He goes from the backup to the starter just like that and his dynasty value skyrockets to the moon. Hurts started just four games in 2020 and finished with 1,061 yards passing and four touchdowns along with 354 yards and three touchdowns on the ground. Imagine what he’ll do with a full season of games. The hope is those four games weren’t a fluke and Hurts can continue to grow as a passer in Philly.
Miles Sanders on the other hand could be negatively impacted by this move. We know mobile quarterbacks don’t tend to lean on the running backs as often to check down when they can instead use their legs. So, there’s some immediate concern for the twitter darling who hasn’t really panned out regardless.
What about the receiving corps? I don’t think we can make a true judgment call on how Wentz’s departure and Hurts’ arrival will impact the pass catchers. Hurts put together a few 300+ yards passing games proving he has the arm talent to compete in the NFL but the receivers are young and every changing in Philadelphia so this is more of a wait and see.
FINAL THOUGHTS
Overall this is a very exciting trade from a dynasty perspective. The hope is that this move increases fantasy production for the bulk of the parties involved but for some, like Miles Sanders, it could be the death note if things don’t go as planned. Don’t hesitate, this is your time to make moves with dynasty values spiking in the offseason!
Thank you for reading. If you have any thoughts or would like to discuss them, you can find me on Twitter @WillieBeamanDFF.
