Philadelphia Eagles news and links for 2/20/21.

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Stampede Blue Writers Roundtable: Carson Wentz Trade - Stampede Blue
He’s got a lot to prove to me. Wentz finished 31st in EPA per dropback last year. Simply put, good QBs are rarely that bad. For reference, Brissett was 24th in 2017 and 20th in 2019. Even the 2011 Colts finished higher than 31st (OK 30th, but still). In his 5 years of the league, Wentz’s EPA efficiency has ranked 20th, 2nd, 15th, 18th, 31st. He had one good year and has progressively gotten worse. Here are the QBs from the last 10 years that finished 31st or 32nd in EPA efficiency: it’s not an encouraging list. Blaine Gabbert (twice), Blake Bortles, Brandon Weeden, C.J. Beathard, Carson Wentz, Case Keenum, DeShone Kizer, EJ Manuel, Jared Goff, Joe Flacco, Josh Rosen, Mark Sanchez, Mason Rudolph, Nick Foles, Peyton Manning, Robert Griffin III, Ryan Tannehill, Sam Bradford, Sam Darnold. Maybe Reich can get him back to form but I’ll believe it when I see it. Tannehills can happen, but they are veeeery rare.

Reports: Carson Wentz fell out of favor with Eagles locker room, stopped talking to Doug Pederson for weeks - BGN
Those who have experience consuming sports coverage should know it’s not unusual for unflattering leaks to emerge following a person’s exit from a team. It should be no surprise, then, to see such is the case in the aftermath of the Carson Wentz trade. Of course, there have been anonymously-sourced criticisms about Wentz dating back to November 2018. And then more in January 2019. And then more in October 2019. And then more in September 2020. And then more in January 2021. And then more in February 2021. The latest on Wentz comes from Jason La Canfora.

Eagles trade Carson Wentz emergency podcast - PhillyVoice
The Eagles finally did it. They traded Carson Wentz to the Indianapolis Colts, and so, there will be an emergency podcast. Brandon Gowton, Benjamin Solak, and I discussed all things Carson Wentz. What’s Wentz’s legacy in Philly? Who won the trade? Where do the Eagles go from here? Is Jalen Hurts the new starter, or will they select a quarterback with their first-round pick?

What kind of QB will Carson Wentz be for the Colts? - NBCSP
Maybe the way Wentz trended the last six months is who he really is now. Maybe whatever physical changes he’s undergone will prevent him from finding the consistency that was so elusive this past season. Even in Indy. Even with Reich. Maybe there’s something else. Maybe he just doesn’t have the drive anymore. Maybe he’ll never be an effective NFL quarterback again. Honestly, I do wonder about all of that. But I think he’ll be OK. Sometimes people just need a fresh start. We saw what it did for Nelson Agholor in Vegas. That wasn’t going to happen here. It just wasn’t. He had to get away. Everything’s in place for Wentz to succeed with the Colts. He couldn’t have asked for a better destination. If it doesn’t work out there? I’m not sure it’s going to work out anywhere.

Now that Carson Wentz is gone, what should the Eagles do at QB? - Inquirer
The jury is still out on Hurts, who played better than Wentz in limited action last season. For a second-round pick who the Eagles originally envisioned as a backup with starter potential, given the right tools and environment, he fared well given the late-season circumstances. Hurts seemingly has all the off-the-field intangibles, and possibly the makeup to handle the Philadelphia pressure-cooker and a likely challenge for the No. 1 spot. Many Eagles players appeared to gravitate toward the rookie in short time.

The Biggest Winner of the Carson Wentz Trade Is Carson Wentz - The Ringer
There’s debate that the Colts did overpay for Wentz, but realistically, their options for a starting QB were limited considering the veteran options left after Stafford was dealt. Indianapolis picks too low in the first round for it to contend for one of the top four QB prospects of this class, the guys who could immediately make a difference for a team coming off a wild-card appearance. So for everyone involved, this trade made a lot of sense. But no one should be happier about it than Wentz, who’s been handed a tremendous lifeline, the only one that gave him a legitimate shot at being the Carson Wentz of old.

What’s next for the Eagles at quarterback? - PFT
So now without Wentz, they need someone to complement, supplement, and/or supplant Hurts as the presumed starter. They could draft that player, they could sign a veteran, or they could trade for someone like, yes, Nick Foles. Whatever they do, the Eagles will do something more than retain a backup who is expected to embrace that spot and not truly challenge the starter. Although Hurts won the one-on-one against Wentz, Hurts still may not be the starter when Week One rolls around. So while the Wentz trade becomes the ending of the starting-quarterback search for the Colts, the transaction may be just the beginning for the Eagles.

DeGone - Iggles Blitz
I hope the Eagles are able to deal Ertz. He’s had a great career in Philly, but it is time to focus on young talent. If the Eagles can move him and get a pick in return, it will help with the rebuild. I had doubts that there would be much of a market for Ertz. He’s on the wrong side of 30 and coming off a bad year. Ertz does have a great track record and a title contender may feel it is worth taking a chance on him. He’s always been valuable on third downs and in the Red Zone. Those are critical situations that can mean the difference in winning and losing.

NFL Trade Rumors: Rams have inquired about Eagles tight end Zach Ertz - Turf Show Times
It’s not hard to understand why Sean McVay would want to pair Ertz with new quarterback Matthew Stafford. LA could make a corresponding move by releasing Tyler Higbee to save several million dollars, but Ertz has an $8.2 million base salary in 2021. The Rams would need to probably restructure that, if only they were also able to figure out how to trade for Ertz when they’ve already used up most of their resources.

2021 NFL Draft Special #1: Ranking the Top QBs w/Mark Schofiel‪d‬ - The SB Nation NFL Show
Michael Kist is joined by Mark Schofield to break down the top 5 quarterbacks in the 2021 NFL Draft!

Sixers Bell Ringer: Joel Embiid’s career-high 50 points lifts Sixers over Bulls - Liberty Ballers
Joel has had plenty of great performances this season, but when someone is putting the MVP consideration compilation reel together at the end of the year, this game will go towards the top of the pile. Although Wendell Carter Jr. made some shots against Embiid, Joel was very engaged defensively, racking up the stocks, making quick rotations, and doing yeoman-like work on the glass. Offensively, what more can be said? The big man is hitting mid-range jumpers as well as anyone in the league. He gets to the foul line as much as anyone. He powers through defenders when he needs to. He euro-steps them around them like no man over 7 feet tall and 280 pounds has any business doing. Joel capped off his night with a long stepback jumper from the corner to nearly ice the game with 41 seconds left. 17-of-26 from the field. 15-of-17 from the foul line. Only two turnovers against five assists. A generational superstar. [BLG Note: Embiid for MVP.]

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