Philadelphia Eagles Rumors: Carson Wentz Could Win The Eagles’ Starting Quarterback Job

With offseason OTAs for the Philadelphia Eagles in session, rumors regarding the potential quarterback to start the 2016-2017 season are heating up. While new Eagles head coach Doug Pederson previously named Sam Bradford the team’s starting quarterback to begin the season, some analysts around the league believe that there could be a legitimate competition at the position. Eagles rookie quarterback Carson Wentz has been impressive, and there is a chance that he could take the job from Bradford.

As reported by Bleacher Report, Eagles offensive coordinator Frank Reich spoke to the 94WIP Morning Show earlier today regarding the team’s quarterback situation.

“So, if you’re the head coach you gotta come in and you’ve gotta establish order. There has to be organization, there has to be order, but the other thing that—as coaches—that you’ve got to establish is a culture of competition. This is one of the most competitive industries in the world and so, to say that there’s not competition, that’s just the furthest thing from the truth. So, I don’t see the problem with creating order and competition at the same time, personally. Every one of us as a coach and a player, you’re working harder to get better, but in that process you have to establish order and things have a way of working themselves out.”

While Reich did not directly say that Wentz has a chance to be the team’s starting quarterback on opening day, he understands it is crucial for there to be competition at every position. At 28-years-old, Bradford’s career as a quarterback in the NFL has been below average. In addition to never making the playoffs, Bradford has also been extremely prone to injuries. While he had a decent season with the Eagles last year, he is not in the team’s long-term future.

Carson Wentz gets rave reviews while Sam Bradford struggles at OTAhttps://t.co/uwpa5CgQpj

— FOX Sports: NFL (@NFLonFOX) May 24, 2016

In addition to Reich believing that there should be a real competition between Bradford and Wentz, Eagles defensive coordinator Jim Schwartz also believes that it is too early to name a starting quarterback, as reported by NJ Advance Media.

“Don’t judge him on something else. And also don’t pre-determine the result of the race. Let him go play. Don’t put extra pressure on him.”

While Reich and Schwartz both believe that Wentz should be given a fair chance to win the job, Pederson was adamant when speaking about the situation. In addition to saying that Bradford is the team’s No. 1 guy, he also said that he does not need to look over his shoulder. Whether or not that is true remains to be seen, but Pederson may have put himself in a difficult situation.

Interesting that it is #Eagles offensive and defensive coordinators who are saying Wentz has shot to start when Doug didn't speak this week.

— Matt Lombardo (@MattLombardoNFL) May 25, 2016

If Wentz continues to be impressive over the next few months, fans are going to want to see him play this year. While Wentz does not have a ton of game experience, he is going to turn 24-years-old in December. He is not an old by any stretch of the imagination, but he is older than a lot of other young quarterbacks in the league. Eagles’ fans do not want to wait until he turns 25-years-old to see him in action.

There is still a lot of work to be done, but the early reports are not positive for Bradford. As ESPN reports, Wentz outplayed both Bradford and backup quarterback Chase Daniel during yesterday’s OTA session. In addition to looking comfortable, he was also extremely patient in allowing plays to develop.

While Bradford was not terrible, he did not look as dynamic as Wentz. Daniel looked mediocre, but he is not in contention to win the starting job. It is likely that Bradford and Wentz will go back and forth over the next few months. Both quarterbacks will have their good days with a few bad ones thrown in the mix.

Even though Pederson’s support for Bradford has been strong thus far, he may have to consider going back on his word if Wentz plays better. While this may be the best move for the team, it is not exactly going to reflect positively on him after declaring Bradford the starter so early. Regardless, this is Pederson’s first job as the head coach of an NFL team, and it is unlikely that Eagles’ fans would hold it against him if the team goes with Wentz.

With the 2016 NFL season less than four months away, rumors surrounding the Philadelphia Eagles and quarterbacks Sam Bradford and Carson Wentz will continue to emerge. Bradford is the starter today, but there is a real chance that Wentz could take the job.

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