4 Trades the Eagles Should Propose to Offload Carson Wentz, Zach Ertz

The Philadelphia Eagles are going to find themselves in a tough spot next offseason. They're going to have a decision to make at quarterback thanks to the benching of Carson Wentz and the rise of Jalen Hurts, and their cap situation is beyond abysmal.

Though final cap numbers have not been determined, Philadelphia is projected to be more than $64 million over the cap in 2021. Unfortunately, trading Wentz isn't going to provide cap relief, as he will still have nearly $60 million in dead money on his contract after the season.

The Eagles are looking at $33.8 million in dead cap for 2021 if he is traded before June. It would be the full $59.2 million if he is released.

Given Wentz's poor play and massive salary ($34.7 million in 2021), the Eagles can expect very little in return—the Houston Texans had to give a second-round pick to unload Brock Osweiler almost four years ago—and they may not have much choice. According to ESPN's Adam Schefter, Wentz is not a happy camper.

"Wentz is not pleased with the way events have unfolded in the organization, according to sources," Schefter wrote.

While the Eagles will have to get creative to deal Wentz, moving star tight end Zach Ertz is more feasible. While he does have more than $7 million in dead money on his contract, Philadelphia can save nearly $5 million by moving him.

In addition to saving cap space, moving Ertz would allow the Eagles to get something in return for a player who will likely enter free agency after the coming season. Dallas Goedert has taken over as the top receiving tight end, and Ertz may be more valuable to Philadelphia as a trade chip than as a player.

So how might the Eagles navigate trades for Wentz and/or Ertz in the offseason? Here are a few creative ideas that the team could pursue.

Deal Wentz to Indianapolis for a Second-Round Pick

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Frank Reich

If there's one team out there that may give up a high draft pick for Wentz alone, it's the Indianapolis Colts. Head coach Frank Reich spent two seasons with Wentz as the Eagles offensive coordinator before joining Indianapolis. The Colts are set to lose both Philip Rivers and Jacoby Brissett in free agency.

The Colts are also projected to have nearly $67 million in cap space, so they could theoretically afford to take on his contract. If Reich believes he can resurrect Wentz's career, this could be an attractive long-term solution—even if it isn't initially a popular move.

"Don't do it. People are doing it on the internet; we don't need it," former Colts punter Pat McAfee said on The Pat McAfee Show.

McAfee's point, and it's a valid one, is that Indianapolis has the foundation of a championship-caliber team. Spending multiple years trying to reforge Wentz into a capable starter would shorten the team's playoff window, and this move would only make sense if Reich truly believes he can fix Wentz quickly.

Even then, the Eagles aren't likely to get a whole lot in return. There's too much risk involved, too much salary to take on and other options potentially available in free agency.

In addition to Rivers, Dak Prescott, Andy Dalton, Ryan Fitzpatrick, Tyrod Taylor and other former starters are scheduled for free agency. Even a second-round draft pick may be too rich, but it's not a laughable starting point for Philadelphia.

Trade Wentz and Ertz to New England for Jarrett Stidham

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Jarrett Stidham

While the New England Patriots don't have the sort of link to Wentz that the Colts do, they are in need of a new franchise quarterback. Cam Newton isn't getting it done, and the Patriots don't seem to think particularly highly of backup Jarrett Stidham.

"Yeah, we'll see," head coach Bill Belichick told reporters of turning to Stidham for the final two weeks.

Like the Colts, the Patriots have the cap space to take on Wentz's contract and Ertz, too—which could be the deal-sweetener needed to get a trade done. New England is projected to have close to $89 million in cap space in the offseason.

Just as the Patriots need a new signal-caller, they're desperate for reliable weapons in the passing game. They're particularly lacking at tight end, where Ryan Izzo leads the position with just 199 receiving yards on 13 receptions.

Adding Ertz would help solve one issue, and Belichick has already shown he's willing to take on a quarterback project. In return, the Eagles could ask for Stidham, who would provide a long-term backup option if Hurts is tabbed as the guy.

Philadelphia might be able to finagle a mid-round pick in the deal by including Ertz, but unloading both contracts would be the primary objective of broaching this potential trade.

Deal Ertz to the Jacksonville Jaguars for Third-Round Pick

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Zach Ertz

As odd as it may seem, the Eagles may be able to get more out of dealing Ertz alone than by including him in a package with Wentz. Ertz hasn't been as prolific this season—in part because of the emergence of Goedert—but he had a 916-yard Pro Bowl season just last year.

The biggest issue for Philadelphia is that Ertz is essentially only under contract for one more year. He has dummy years in 2022 and 2023 that automatically void. Any team dealing for Ertz will have just one year of control and will likely need to negotiate a new contract quickly. A Day 2 pick may be the best the Eagles can hope for in a deal.

Fortunately, there's one team that could have the money and the willingness to make a trade. The Jacksonville Jaguars are projected to have $84.7 million in cap space, which is second only to New England. Tyler Eifert currently paces the Jags at the position with 322 yards and two touchdowns.

While Ertz and Eifert are both 30 years old, Eifert carries a significant injury history and hasn't been a Pro Bowl-level player since 2015.

Thanks to the New York Jets' surprising Week 15 win over the Los Angeles Rams, the Jaguars are now in line for the first pick in the 2021 draft and presumably the chance to draft Clemson quarterback Trevor Lawrence. While Lawrence is considered a generational talent, a high-end tight end can help any young quarterback tremendously.

Jacksonville has some good young pieces on offense—like running back James Robinson, wideout DJ Chark Jr. and wideout Laviska Shenault Jr. Adding Ertz to the mix could help set up Lawrence for early success.

Trade Ertz to the Jets for a Third-Round Pick

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Sam Darnold

While the Jets don't have a crack at Trevor Lawrence as things stand, they do need an upgrade at the tight end spot. Chris Herndon leads the position with just 190 receiving yards and one touchdown.

Whether the Jets take a quarterback—like Ohio State's Justin Fields or North Dakota State's Trey Lance—or stick with Sam Darnold, the need for a tight end isn't going away. Darnold has lacked a reliable outlet option since his rookie season, when Herndon had 502 receiving yards and four scores and appeared to be playing at a different level.

The Jets may not be willing to pull the plug on Herndon, but Ertz is a proven veteran and a clear upgrade. Pawning off Wentz on the Jets probably isn't going to happen, but the Eagles may be able to work a deal for Ertz.

The Jets are projected to have more than $81 million in cap space in the offseason, trailing only New England and Jacksonville. New York also has an extra third-round pick thanks to its trade of Jamal Adams to the Seattle Seahawks

Given the fact that the Jets have two third-round selections in 2021, the Eagles may be able to get more than one draft pick in return. As we've already mentioned, however, Ertz's value isn't exactly at an all-time high.

Cap and contract information via Spotrac.