Five reasons why the Philadelphia Eagles should wait to extend Carson Wentz

The Philadelphia Eagles have expressed interest in giving Carson Wentz an extension. Is now the right time to do that, though?

Carson Wentz’ NFL journey has been everything but typical. After a promising rookie year, he found himself at the apex of the MVP conversation during his sophomore season, leading the Eagles to a league-best 11-2 record before he suffered a season-ending knee injury.  There has been a lot of talk recently about extending his contract, especially with Philadelphia hero Nick Foles signing with the Jacksonville Jaguars as a free agent.

Here are five reasons the Eagles should not extend Wentz’ contract…yet.

Full Season Fever

Wentz is entering his fourth year in the league, but he hasn’t played an entire season since 2016.  This factors in more-so on an experience level than on conditioning.  We know what he can do with the right roster combination around him, but he has yet to prove that he can carry that into the postseason.

The Injury Bug

It’s too early in his career to call Wentz “injury prone.” The injuries he’s sustained the past few seasons were due to the luck of the draw (or snap…), and by perhaps trying to take on too much of the offensive burden himself. The mediocre running game didn’t help in 2018, but he’s got to be a little more conservative if he wants longevity not just during the season, but in his career as a whole.

Locker Room Talk

A few months ago there was a story that broke about some potential morale issues going on in the Eagles’ locker room related to Wentz. Players and team officials were quick to refute the claims, but one has to wonder what is really going on behind the scenes lately considering the uncanny way the Super Bowl run and the past two seasons have unfolded.

Let it Ride

Wentz still has one year on his contract (pending a 5th-year option), and while he has definitely proven that he was the right choice for the Draft magic the Eagles had to pull to get him, there are still many unanswered questions. His accomplishments are impressive, but in a league that can change so quickly and is so much about “what have you done for me lately,” this is a concern.

Quarterly Earnings

Wentz is the 27th highest paid quarterback in the league, which is a bit of a shame considering what the Eagles have accomplished in the past two seasons. He was an absolutely integral part of their Super Bowl run, and while he was never 100% healthy, he still shouldered a lot of the offensive burden during the 2018 campaign.

The Eagles are a team on the fringe of being a yearly elite, with a quarterback with a skill set that (when healthy) matches that. Should the team extend his contract? YES. But let’s see how the 2019 season plays out first.