NFL Rumors: Bears Are Frontrunners For Carson Wentz, But Quarterback Reportedly Prefers To Play For Colts
The latest update on erstwhile Philadelphia Eagles quarterback Carson Wentz suggests that the Chicago Bears are the leading candidate to acquire the former No. 2 overall draft pick. However, both sides appear to be stalemated in their negotiations, as Wentz reportedly isn’t too willing to move to the Windy City after five years playing in Philly.
As quoted by NBC Sports Philadelphia, Sports Illustrated’s Albert Breer appeared on The Herd with Colin Cowherd on Monday, where he revealed that the Bears are the “frontrunner” for Wentz’s services. He noted that general manager Ryan Pace, head coach Matt Nagy, and other team officials are confident they could “fix” the 28-year-old signal-caller’s passing mechanics after a rough 2020 campaign where he was one of the lowest-rated quarterbacks in the entire NFL. However, Wentz’s preference to play for the Indianapolis Colts was cited as the main reason why the trade talks haven’t made much progress as of late.
“I think the issue right now, Colin, is where Carson Wentz wants to go. I think it’s become pretty clear he’d rather go to Indianapolis, and I think part of it now, for the Eagles, is, ‘Alright, if our best return now is Chicago over Indy, then we need to convince Carson Wentz, this is the only place you’re going, bud, and you need to buck up and accept this, and realize the Bears are going to give you a good chance.'”
Breer went on to explain that the Bears have clearly stood out as the team that’s been most aggressive in pursuing Wentz. He also stressed that the organization just needs an assurance that the quarterback is willing to play in Chicago before it pushes forward with the move.
As pointed out separately by USA Today’s Bears Wire, Wentz’s reluctance to be traded to the Bears might have something to do with his past relationship with quarterbacks coach John DeFilippo. Back when DeFilippo was serving in the same role for the Eagles, the signal-caller reportedly saw him as the “bad cop” due to his tough style of coaching, while offensive coordinator Frank Reich — who has since joined the Colts as head coach — was perceived as the “good cop.”
The outlet also speculated that Wentz might be concerned about the Bears’ lack of organizational stability, as Pace and Nagy’s jobs might be in jeopardy in the lead-up to the 2021 season.
If Wentz gets traded to Chicago, he will be reunited with his former Eagles teammate, Nick Foles, who, in a fill-in role, led Philadelphia to victory at Super Bowl LII in 2018. Both men will likely compete for the starting job as the Bears have decided to move on from would-be free agent Mitchell Trubisky, as previously noted by Bears Wire.
