The football world woke up shocked Saturday morning after hearing Philadelphia Eagles starting quarterback, Sam Bradford, was traded one week before their opening game. The Minnesota Vikings traded this year’s first round pick and next year’s fourth round pick to obtain Bradford. The Eagles say if rookie Carson Wentz is fully recovered from his rib injury, he will get the first snap Sunday against Cleveland.
Sam Bradford Out, Carson Wentz Starts
#Eagles are planning on starting Carson Wentz against the visiting #Browns if he's recovered enough from his rib injury, sources said.
— Adam Caplan (@caplannfl) September 3, 2016
The Wentz Saga Continues
After the Eagles traded up to the number two overall pick to take Wentz, it was unknown how he would fit into the Eagles offense. Early on, head coach Doug Pederson hinted that Wentz would not even dress in pads for the whole season. Then it was said that Wentz would be the third quarterback on the roster, behind Bradford and Chase Daniel. Now, it appears that Carson Wentz will be the starter week one.
It seems unfair to throw Wentz on the field with only one preseason game under his belt in his career, but that is the card he has been dealt. Wentz played most of the second half against Tampa Bay in the first preseason game where he suffered a hairline rib fracture. Wentz has one game of experience which will most likely show in his performance Sunday.
The starting job was expected to go to veteran backup, Chase Daniel, however. Entering his eighth NFL season, Daniel has been backup to both Drew Brees in New Orleans, and Alex Smith in Kansas City. Daniel only has two career starts, but he has studied the game and has learned from two very successful quarterbacks. The preseason was not Daniel’s best performance as he only had one touchdown in 60 attempts with a 61.7 completion percentage [NFL Stats]. Perhaps his struggles in the preseason forced coach Pederson to go with Wentz.
How to Compensate for Inexperience
It was surprising that the Eagles traded Bradford even after the undefeated preseason. They finished 4-0 with convincing wins over Tampa Bay, Pittsburgh, Indianapolis, and the New York Jets. All was looking up for the Eagles until they gave up their starting quarterback. With Wentz being unfamiliar with the NFL game, the Eagles need to look to other options to lead on until he can solidify himself and get comfortable.
The defense will be Wentz’s best friend. They gave up the sixth least yards per game and allowed only 9.5 points per game, leading the NFL in the preseason. Both the front seven and secondary looked impressive as the Eagles had eleven sacks and the secondary had nine interceptions, leading the ranks, in the four games [NFL Stats]. If the defense keeps playing at this level it will make Wentz’s job that much easier. The defense has the capability of being a top five defense which will take some of the load off the offense.
Veterans to Lean On
A new starting quarterback will usually lean on some veteran wide receivers in the beginning to guarantee some passes. The Eagles, however, do not have any veterans lining up outside. Jordan Matthews and Josh Huff are the most experienced of the receiving crew, both entering their third NFL season. Wentz will then look at his tight end duo. Brent Celek is a consistent force in the passing game going into his tenth season. Zach Ertz has opened some eyes in his three NFL seasons so far and will look to give Wentz some relief with short, safe passes.
Running back Ryan Mathews is also a good option for screens and flat patterns. He is experienced in the short passing game out of the backfield. And then there is Darren Sproles who is known for his receiving skills more than his running skills as a running back. In his ten NFL seasons, he averages about 47 receptions per year, around 415 yards and three touchdowns [Pro Football Reference]. Sproles also adds to the special teams game which can provide some points and give Wentz good field position to open drives.
Eagles’ Future
The Eagles were accused of setting up this season as a rebuilding year after drafting Wentz. They signed Bradford to a two year deal in the off-season, setting up him to start and giving Wentz some time to learn and acclimate to the NFL. Instead, the Eagles decided to dive into the future, letting Wentz get the nod right away. Even though the Eagles may be rebuilding, this season has potential, especially in the struggling NFC East division.
The big picture after this trade looks even brighter for the Eagles. They lost this year’s first round pick to St. Louis to get Bradford, but they got one back from Minnesota. There are many young stars that are looking at the next couple years to explode, like linebacker Jordan Hicks, and wide receiver Nelson Agholor.
