It wasn’t a huge surprise when the Chicago Bears were connected to Carson Wentz. As a team that is searching for a new quarterback, it made sense they’d be involved in some capacity. Yet over the past week, the rampant rumor mill made it seem like the team was dead set on landing the 28-year old at all costs. Now here things stand and Wentz remains with the Philadelphia Eagles. No end is in sight.
So what gives? If the Bears were such an overwhelming favorite, then one should think they’d have completed the deal already. Insiders seem to think a lot of the initial hoopla was generated by the Eagles. An effort by them to drum up a market for Wentz. The Bears, with their obvious need for a QB and connections to Wentz, made an easy target.
Some are starting to wonder though. Is Chicago’s interest overblown?
There are reasons to think they may not be as deadset on the former Pro Bowler as people think. There’s the obvious red flags from his horrible 2020 season, his long history of health issues, the hefty contract, and the falling out with head coach Doug Pederson. A friend and colleague of Matt Nagy, don’t forget. To say nothing of the belief that Wentz wants to go to the Colts anyway.
Then comes Andrew Brandt. The former Packers VP turned top NFL business analyst made an interesting point on Twitter recently. Aside from all the other arguments about the Bears and Wentz, there is an additional obstacle. One involving the quarterback’s representatives.
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One interesting twist if there were ever a potential trade of Carson Wentz to the Bears: Wentz's agents also represent…Mitch Trubisky.
— Andrew Brandt (@AndrewBrandt) February 13, 2021
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=1CiP-umqdOs&ab_channel=UndisputedToday
Why would agents of Carson Wentz support a move to Chicago?
Especially since their other high-profile client in Mitch Trubisky just endured a rough ending to his time there. Wentz is represented by Ryan Tollner, the co-founder of Rep 1 Sports. The man has a reputation for having a strong stance in support of his clients. He delayed Trubisky’s rookie contract talks back in 2017 until almost the start of training camp. It isn’t hard to imagine this man would encourage Carson Wentz to insist on avoiding Chicago at all costs.
Not just because of how things ended with Trubisky either. Tollner isn’t dumb. They know the situation with the Bears like everybody else. Matt Nagy and Ryan Pace are on thin ice. They need to win in 2021 to save their jobs. What happens if Wentz comes to Chicago and doesn’t immediately perform? Then those two get fired and the QB is stuck in the middle of another regime change. Not ideal.
To say nothing of the Bears’ ongoing reputation for mismanaging QBs.
Is there a chance they get Wentz anyway? Sure. Ryan Pace could make it all moot by offering something the Eagles can’t turn down. Yet the evidence to this point suggests that isn’t going to happen. The reasons for acquiring the quarterback are starting to be outweighed by reasons not to. When that happens, it’s a pretty safe bet he’ll end up elsewhere. Hopefully, a resolution will be found sooner than later.