Carson Wentz is not interested in being a backup and would like to leave the Eagles if the current situation – with Jalen Hurts starting from the center – continues in Philadelphia, sources connected to the team told ESPN.
Although the situation of the Eagles quarterback remains fluid, with three games left this season, Wentz is not satisfied with the way the events in the organization took place, according to the sources.
Eagles coach Doug Pederson has not said whether the defender switch is permanent – going only to announce Hurts as a starter for Sunday – but the player and team sources told ESPN’s Chris Mortensen last weekend that Hurts will remains the starter this season.
Philadelphia’s decision to replace Wentz for the Hurts has caught the attention of other teams around the NFL, with some expected to ask about Wentz’s availability in a deal, according to sources.
The Eagles (4-8-1), a long-range shot to win the NFC East, but still in contention, begin their final three-game streak against the Cardinals on Sunday, when Hurts makes his second straight start in place of Wentz. Rookie led Philadelphia to an upset victory last Sunday over New Orleans and could make the decision of the Philadelphia franchise quarterback even more difficult if he continues to play well.
The Eagles selected Hurts with the second-round pick in this year’s draft and gradually coached him on offense, initially using him in the center in limited special packages, before finally offering him the full-time job. – and Wentz – in week 13 against the Packers.
Hurts played well in Green Bay, but was even better last week against New Orleans, going 167 yards and a touchdown while running 18 times on 106 yards. He didn’t take any sacks and turned the ball over once, becoming the fifth Eagles defender to rush for 100 yards in a Super Bowl game.
After initially saying he wasn’t sure who would start on Sunday, Pederson announced last Monday that Hurts would remain the starter against Arizona.
Team sources told ESPN earlier this month that the Eagles intend to keep Wentz despite his struggles throughout the season and want him to be an important part of their team in the future.
But if the Eagles finally decide to move on from Wentz, they have to make that decision by the second day of the 2021 league year – sometime in mid-March – because on the third day of the league year, his base salary of 22 million for 2022 becomes fully guaranteed and its bonus for the 2021 list of $ 10 million is also paid.