The last two weeks of the NFL season have turned the 2021 quarterback carousel into a headliner. In Philadelphia, the idea that the Eagles could go from Carson Wentz to rookie Jalen Hurts has gone from something you would say to Eagles fans to something you would say to to excite Eagle fans.
Several train stops north, the Jets managed to break the hearts of their own fans, annoying the Rams on Sunday and losing control No. 1 in the 2021 draft. It seemed like a lost conclusion that the Jets would be eliminated from Sam Darnold and they would retire from Trevor Lawrence, but now that it looks like Clemson’s star quarterback is likely heading to the Jaguars with the best selection, the Jets have all the options on the table.
We evaluate three big decision points for this offseason and find out what can happen next, with the predicted dominoes that could fall. I will use the draft order projected by the ESPN Football Power Index as the draft order scheduled for the end of the season.
Each of these three scenarios is independent of each other and I will try to make the logic of each team clear why these movements can make sense. I will use Spotrac’s estimates for the 2021 limit, which will report on the decisions each team makes. Let’s start with a scenario that we could not consider before the start of this season:
Go to a stage:
The Eagles change Carson Wentz
The Jets keep Sam Darnold
The Cowboys label, exchanges Dak Prescott
As we’ve discussed over the past two weeks, if the Eagles decide they want to move on from their former franchise quarterback, there’s a team that’s the most likely destination …
The Eagles change Wentz to the Colts for a third-round pick and a conditional selection for 2022.
The Colts are the best candidate for Wentz. Eagles fans won’t be happy with the price, but the organization has virtually no influence in making that deal and can’t afford to take on an expensive replacement. The addition that makes this agreement work is this conditional choice; let’s say the Eagles get a third-round pick in 2022 if Wentz reaches the Pro Bowl or a second-round pick if he’s Pro Bowler and the Colts get to the AFC Championship Game.
The Eagles would advance with Jalen Hurts as a starter, but would still want to add a backup in case Hurts fights or gets injured. With limited cork space, the Eagles can chase an old friend …
The Bears change Nick Foles from QB to the Eagles for TE Zach Ertz and a selection from the sixth round of 2021.
Chicago doesn’t have much room either, but Ertz’s $ 8.3 million salary would change as a replacement for Jimmy Graham, who is likely to cut back after the season. We all know how much he likes CEO Ryan Pace at his narrow ends and Ertz would step in alongside Cole Kmet in two extreme sets for the Bears.
Foles has a base salary of $ 4 million in 2021, making it financially feasible for his former team. What could the bears do after separating from Foles?