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3 teams who can rescue Carson Wentz’s career

By Brad Berreman

Dec 6, 2020; Green Bay, Wisconsin, USA; Philadelphia Eagles quarterback Carson Wentz (11) gets a pass away while under pressure from Green Bay Packers defensive end Dean Lowry (94) in the first quarter at Lambeau Field. Mandatory Credit: Benny Sieu-USA TODAY Sports
Dec 6, 2020; Green Bay, Wisconsin, USA; Philadelphia Eagles quarterback Carson Wentz (11) gets a pass away while under pressure from Green Bay Packers defensive end Dean Lowry (94) in the first quarter at Lambeau Field. Mandatory Credit: Benny Sieu-USA TODAY Sports /
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Credit: Stacy Revere/Getty Images
Credit: Stacy Revere/Getty Images /

Now in danger of losing his job as the Eagles’ starting quarterback, can another team rescue Carson Wentz?

Carson Wentz simply has been one of the worst quarterbacks in the NFL this year. He didn’t even finish Sunday’s game against the Green Bay Packers, giving way to rookie Jalen Hurts, but he’s still been sacked a league-high 50 times (Russell Wilson is second with 40).

After the game, Eagles head coach Doug Pederson would not declare a starting quarterback for Week 14 against the New Orleans Saints. The door is open for Hurts to make his first NFL start, if nothing else. Then Wentz would be an expensive backup, perhaps for the rest of the season.

Now, let’s be clear. It’s very unlikely Wentz gets moved. Why? His contract.

Wentz signed a four-year, $128 million contract extension last year, which actually has yet to kick in. Next year, he carries a $34.673 million cap hit, the sixth-highest cap hit in the league. Cutting him is only remotely viable if the Eagles designate him as a post-June 1 cut, so they can spread out a $59.2 million dead money hit over 2021 and ’22.

The Eagles are also in serious cap trouble looking to 2021, so taking away any more space will not be ideal.

If Wentz’s confidence is shot, as Jay Glazer of FOX Sports reported Sunday morning, the Eagles may only have themselves to blame with their decision to draft Hurts in the second round.

The Eagles could more feasibly trade Wentz. According to Over The Cap, the third day of the league year is important. He’s due a $10 million roster bonus then, so the dead money to trade him reflects that ($33.820 million before third day of the league year; $43.820 million after). $15 million of his 2022 base salary becomes fully guaranteed at that point too (March 15).

Via Over The Cap, a team that trades for Wentz in the offseason would assume a four-year, $98.4 million deal ($24.6 million per year). The first two years would be practically guaranteed, with more viable decisions to part ways the last two years. The cap hits ($25.4 million, $22 million, $25 million and $26 million) don’t look that bad.

A change of scenery would seem to do Wentz a lot of good, and it’s worth wondering if he’d restructure his contract to better pave the way for a trade.

The mechanics of the move wouldn’t be easy, but one of these three teams could rescue Wentz’s career.

3 teams who could rescue Carson Wentz

3. San Francisco 49ers

As pointed out all over the place, the 49ers can move on from Jimmy Garoppolo easily in 2021. Head coach Kyle Shanahan is trying to say the right things about Garoppolo being the right quarterback for the team and the expectation he’ll be the guy in 2021. But missing big chunks of two of the last three seasons, and having the ball taken out of his hands during last year’s Super Bowl run, unveil the reality that the 49ers could look to make an upgrade under center.

Trading for one for one of Shanahan’s former pupils (Matt Ryan or Kirk Cousins) feels possible come the offseason, however remotely possible it seems. Maybe the Eagles and 49ers would swap quarterback problems, and Wentz could get his career back on track with a head coach who actually is a top-end offensive mind.

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