The Carson Wentz sweepstakes have felt for more than a week now like a two-horse race between the Indianapolis Colts and the Chicago Bears, but there's been the lingering possibility of a mystery team or two monitoring the situation as well.
Just last week, Adam Schefter reported teams other than the Bears and Colts were making calls to the Eagles about Wentz.
But it now seems that at least one potential suitor for the Eagles quarterback is distancing itself from any trade interest.
Stay in the game with the latest updates on your beloved Philadelphia sports teams! Sign up here for our All Access Daily newsletter.
The Denver Broncos, who just two years ago used a second-round draft pick on Drew Lock, are reportedly looking at upgrading their QB situation - but not with Wentz, according to NFL Network's James Palmer:
"What I understand is this: there's a top group of quarterbacks that really alter your franchise. They were in on Matthew Stafford, and made an offer. Perhaps Russell Wilson becomes available, they would look there. That group, they're interested in being aggressive.
"The next group down, I've heard some things along the lines of, they're not interested in Carson Wentz, and they're lukewarm on the rest of that group. What does that tell you? They don't believe that group is that much better, perhaps, than Drew Lock is, in their mind."
Oof.
NFL
Under John Elway's stewardship, the Broncos have not been shy about taking big swings at quarterback, from the Peyton Manning acquisition in 2012 to drafting Paxton Lynch in the first round in 2016, and Elway seems to still be on the lookout for a real top-flight QB. So the Broncos always seemed like a possible mystery team for a Wentz deal.
But if Denver doesn't think Wentz is that much of an upgrade over Lock, when you factor in what they'd have to give up in a trade... that's a bit of a yikes for Wentz's trade value.
Here's a bit of a comparison of their 2020 seasons:
Lock: 57.3% completion, 3.6% TD percentage, 3.4% interception percentage, 6.6 yards per attempt | 44 rush for 160 yards and 3 TD, 19 sacks in 13 starts
Wentz: 57.4% completion, 3.7% TD percentage, 3.4% interception percentage, 6.0 yards per attempt | 52 rush for 276 yards and 5 TD, 50 sacks in 12 starts
Jeez, those numbers are extremely similar.
You throw in the fact that Wentz is three years older than Lock, costs significantly more next year, and is generally an unknown commodity after his bizarrely awful 2020 season? Yeah, I don't blame the Broncos for passing on Wentz.
We'll see where the Wentz talks evolve from here, but if a team like the Broncos is unmoved by the QB's potential, it might be in Howie Roseman's best interest to take whatever deal is currently on the table from the Bears or Colts and run.
Subscribe to the Eagle Eye podcast:
Apple Podcasts | Google Play | Spotify | Stitcher | Art19 | Watch on YouTube