The No. 2 overall pick in last month’s draft signed his first professional contract on Thursday.
Quarterback Carson Wentz, the second pick in the 2016 NFL draft, signed his rookie contract with the Philadelphia Eagles, the team announced Thursday.
The four-year deal is worth $26.67 million and includes a hefty $17.6 million signing bonus, according to a report by NFL Network’s Ian Rapoport.
Philadelphia paid a steep price to move up from the No. 8 pick to select Wentz, trading five picks to the Cleveland Browns, including a first-rounder in the 2017 draft. Despite the presence of incumbent starter Sam Bradford and free-agent signee Chase Daniel, the Eagles were drawn to Wentz.
Wentz, 23, started just 23 games over five seasons at North Dakota State, but he helped lead the Bison to its two most recent of five consecutive FCS national championships.
The 6-foot-5, 237-pound Wentz boasts ideal size for a prototypical pocket passer, but he also displayed savvy running ability in college, rushing for 936 yards and 12 touchdowns over his final two seasons.
Wentz will immediately compete for the starting role with Bradford and Daniel, but the expectation is that the veteran Bradford will enter the season as the starter. Philadelphia re-signed the former No. 1 overall pick to a two-year, $36 million deal (with $26 million guaranteed) in March.
After the Eagles traded up in the draft, reportedly with their sights set on Wentz, Bradford reportedly requested a trade. He had been linked to the Denver Broncos, but they ultimately traded up in the draft to nab Paxton Lynch.
Bradford has since released a statement saying he is committed to the Eagles and will report as scheduled for offseason workouts.
For more NFL news, check out our NFL hub page.