Carson Wentz Trade Rumors: Panthers Not Seen as 'Serious Bidders' for Eagles QB

Carson Wentz appears to be on his way out from the Philadelphia Eagles, but don't expect the Carolina Panthers to win the bidding war. 

Per The Athletic's Ben Standig, Joe Person and Zak Keefer, "league sources don't view the Panthers as serious bidders for the 28-year-old Wentz."

The Athletic noted that the Panthers do have a Wentz connection in their player personnel director Pat Stewart, who was a "national scout for the Eagles for two seasons before being hired in Charlotte last year."

As for Wentz's other potential suitors, the Indianapolis Colts are the "odds-on favorite," though if a bidding war breaks out between the Colts and Chicago Bears, "Chicago is the likely winner."

As The Athletic reported, "Indianapolis is weighing Wentz at the moment and looks like it could be the clubhouse leader, but the Colts aren't likely to get in a bidding war, and will resist overpaying despite it being a quarterback."

As for the quarterback-needy Washington Football Team, "an intra-division trade likely sacks" them here. Philly traded Donovan McNabb to Washington in 2010, but he was 33 at the time and was entering the final year of his contract. It's far less likely the Eagles would ever deal Wentz to a divisional rival while he's in his prime, even if he's coming off the worst season of his career. 

The 28-year-old threw for 2,620 yards, 16 touchdowns and 15 interceptions across 12 games in 2020, completing a career-low 57.4 percent of his passes. He was sacked 50 times and was benched late in the season in favor of rookie second-round pick Jalen Hurts. 

Carolina could use an upgrade at the position after Teddy Bridgewater (3,733 yards, 15 touchdowns, 11 interceptions) failed to impress last season. Wentz has far more upside, even it's hardly a given that a new team can unlock the talent he's showcased in the past.

The Panthers have some intriguing talent, led by running back Christian McCaffrey and wideouts Robby Anderson and DJ Moore. Upgrading at quarterback is the logical next step, even if Wentz is an unlikely target.