Where Could Carson Wentz Land in the Future After Being Benched for Jalen Hurts?

The Philadelphia Eagles will be starting a new quarterback Sunday, potentially signaling the end of the Carson Wentz era.

Head coach Doug Pederson announced Tuesday that rookie Jalen Hurts will be taking over as the starter for Sunday's game against the New Orleans Saints. Hurts showed some flashes in last week's 30-16 loss to the Green Bay Packers after replacing Wentz, forcing Pederson's hand to name him the starter.

Wentz has played poorly this season, and those struggles have gone beyond the box score. The tape has shown a quarterback missing open receivers and struggling to work the pocket when under pressure.

A change of scenery might be exactly what Wentz needs to turn his career around. A team could try to trade for him this offseason, but the more likely scenario is that the Eagles cut him before the 2022 season to save almost $7 million in cap space.

Regardless of when, there's now a real chance that Wentz plays elsewhere in the near future. Several teams could use Wentz right now, but sad-sack franchises like the New York Jets and Jacksonville Jaguars are likely to take quarterbacks early in the first round of the 2021 NFL draft, so they’re unlikely landing spots for him. 

Instead, let's take a look at a few teams that could potentially go after the 27-year-old in 2021 or 2022.

Indianapolis Colts (2021)

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The Indianapolis Colts didn't sign the 39-year-old Philip Rivers to be their long-term answer at quarterback. Trading for Wentz after this season could be a long-term move if they believe in the 2016 No. 2 overall pick.

Rivers signed a one-year deal this past offseason to help the Colts try to make a Super Bowl run. They're in the playoff hunt with an 8-4 record, but that could also prevent them from drafting his successor in April.

Picking later in the first round could prevent the Colts from drafting someone like North Dakota State's Trey Lance or BYU's Zach Wilson to take over as their next franchise quarterback. Instead, they could try to land a veteran quarterback in the offseason and focus on drafting talent at other positions.

The Colts might not have to give up many assets for Wentz if the Eagles are more concerned with offloading his massive contract than anything else.

The Colts are one of the only teams equipped to take on Wentz's four-year, $128 million contract. They're projected to have nearly $76.8 million in cap space this offseason, the third-most in the league, according to Spotrac. 

General manager Chris Ballard may not be keen on giving anything up to take on such a huge contract. But if the Colts can't secure another option at quarterback for 2021, Wentz could be a realistic trade option. 

New England Patriots (2021)

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The New England Patriots will have another quarterback dilemma in the 2021 offseason. Bill Belichick may already have a plan in place, but trading for Wentz could give him a suitable option moving forward.

Cam Newton joined the Patriots on a one-year deal this offseason, but the experiment hasn't worked out as well as fans might have hoped. The Patriots are third in the AFC East with a 6-6 record and are at risk of missing the playoffs for the first time since 2008.

If the Patriots don't have faith in 2019 fourth-round pick Jarrett Stidham to take over under center, Wentz could be a potential trade option. They're projected to have nearly $67.7 million in cap space this offseason, the fourth-most in the league, according to Spotrac. 

Belichick and offensive coordinator Josh McDaniels have played to Newton's strengths this season by adapting their offense, including more designed runs for the quarterback. They could do the same for Wentz and build an offense designed to help the 27-year-old turn his career around.

San Francisco 49ers (2022)

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After making it to the Super Bowl last year, the San Francisco 49ers have endured a brutal 2020 season. If they don't turn things around in 2021, it could result in some big changes the following offseason.

Quarterback Jimmy Garoppolo will be under a ton of pressure to perform next season after missing the majority of this year with a nagging ankle injury. If he is unable to help the 49ers make another deep playoff run, they could decide to part ways with him and go with someone else under center.

It wouldn't be financially prohibitive for the Niners to cut Garoppolo either this offseason or next. They could save $25.6 million in cap space by releasing him before the 2022 season if general manager John Lynch decided to find a new quarterback then. 

Wentz could be an option for the Niners if the Eagles cut him, as head coach Kyle Shanahan would likely turn him back into a legitimate playmaker with his offensive system. Having weapons like George Kittle, Deebo Samuel and Brandon Aiyuk could help restore Wentz's confidence and get him playing at a high level again.

Denver Broncos (2022)

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Second-year quarterback Drew Lock is looking less and less like the Denver Broncos' quarterback of the future. If the Broncos don't move on from him in 2021, they may be forced to do so the following year if he keeps playing like he has been.

Lock showed flashes as a rookie, guiding the Broncos to a 4-1 record late in the season while throwing for 1,020 yards, seven touchdowns and only three interceptions for a passer rating of 89.7. He's been less consistent this year, completing only 55.4 percent of his passes for 1,918 yards, nine touchdowns and 13 interceptions for a lowly 67.1 passer rating across nine games.

Fortunately for the Broncos, Lock's rookie contract makes it much easier for them to move on if he doesn't improve. But general manager John Elway is a big fan of Lock, so the former Missouri star could get another year to prove himself if he's fully healthy in 2021.

In the event Lock still can't put it together next season, Denver could start to look for a replacement the following offseason. If the Eagles cut him, Wentz could be a solid veteran option to bring in on a short-term , prove-it deal.

Wentz wouldn't have to do it all himself, either. The Broncos have plenty of weapons on offense, including Jerry Jeudy, Noah Fant and Courtland Sutton. 

Tampa Bay Buccaneers (2022)

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The Tampa Bay Buccaneers became a Super Bowl contender this offseason when they signed future Hall of Fame quarterback Tom Brady. However, the 43-year-old will have to retire eventually.

Brady signed a two-year deal with the Buccaneers this offseason. He'll be heading into his age-45 season in 2022, so Tampa Bay may not be interested in re-signing him once his current contract expires.

Head coach Bruce Arians is known as a quarterback whisperer, and if he's still around after Brady departs, he could be the perfect coach for Wentz. However, Arians is 68 years old and had previously retired before taking the Tampa Bay job, so there's a chance he could retire again before 2022 as well. 

If Arians is still coaching and the Buccaneers are in the quarterback market in 2022, Wentz could be just what their offense needs. While the Eagles have struggled surrounding Wentz with talented receivers over the past few seasons, the Buccaneers are stacked at the position with Mike Evans and Chris Godwin. 

Wentz needs a change of scenery and some new weapons to work with, so Tampa Bay might make the most sense in 2022 if the Eagles ultimately decide to part ways with the 2016 No. 2 overall pick.