LOS ANGELES, CA - DECEMBER 10: Quarterback Carson Wentz #11 of the Philadelphia Eagles walks off the field against the Los Angeles Rams during the second quarter at Los Angeles Memorial Coliseum on December 10, 2017 in Los Angeles, California. The Eagles defeated the Rams 43-35. (Photo by Jeff Gross/Getty Images)The Indianapolis Colts were in need of a quarterback, after the retirement of Philip Rivers. They had long been connected to Philadelphia Eagles QB Carson Wentz, and today, they made the long-rumored trade happen.
Wentz is heading to Indianapolis, where he’ll be reunited with Frank Reich, the former Eagles offensive coordinator who worked with Wentz during his best NFL season. In 2017, before an injury knocked him out for the balance of the season, and Nick Foles led the team to the Super Bowl, Wentz was having an MVP-caliber campaign. After a disastrous 2020 season in Philly, the Colts hope to get the 28-year old back on track.
The Eagles were just 3-8-1 in 12 starts for the Eagles in 2020. He had a career-low 57.4-percent completion rate, 2,620 yards, and 16 touchdowns, and a career-high 15 interceptions. He was eventually benched for rookie Jalen Hurts.
It looks like his new teammates are pretty excited for the move. Shortly after the news broke, guys like Darius Leonard, Zachary Pascal, Michael Pittman, and Parris Campbell tweeted about Wentz joining the team.
Early reactions from the Colts @WISH_TV #Wentz pic.twitter.com/8G41CbCcex
— Charlie Clifford (@cliffWISH8) February 18, 2021
Congrats to my new teammate @cj_wentz can’t wait to get to work!
— MPJ (@MikePitt_Jr) February 18, 2021
LETS WORK ‼️ https://t.co/F57vMT3rCf
— Parris Campbell (@PCampbell21) February 18, 2021
The Colts went 11-5 with Rivers this season, finishing in the Wild Card round of the playoffs, where they narrowly lost to the Buffalo Bills, 27-24. If Carson Wentz can re-find himself under Reich, Indianapolis should be in very good position moving forward.
Of course, that is far from a guarantee. The Wentz who played last year was incredibly ineffective, leaving the Eagles in a brutal position given the four-year, $128 million deal that is just beginning this season.
Still, it’s good that his Indianapolis Colts appear excited to have him. We’ll see where the Eagles go from here. There may be no franchise this side of the Houston Texans that faces more uncertainty moving forward.
