Indianapolis – When the Colts traded for Carson Wentz and the terms of the deal became public, Colts fans scrambled to do some math. Approximately how many snaps was 75% of the season? That was the magic number that would turn the Colts conditional 2nd round pick into a 1st round pick. Well, that time is near.
Carson Wentz needs around 62 more snaps to lock in the first round draft pick to the Eagles. This can be accomplished with one more full game. He’s been averaging 67 snaps a game
— BirdGang (@GordonsWord) November 30, 2021
With a 1st round pick almost certainly heading to Philadelphia, JMV asked two of his guests on Tuesday the same question: Has Carson Wentz been worth the 1st round pick investment that the Colts have made in him?
The Athletic’s Zak Keefer thinks the best is yet to come from Wentz in Indy:
“They traded a 1st round pick for DeForest Buckner, I think it’s fair to say that was entirely worth it and they’re going to trade a 1st rounder for Wentz. I don’t think we’ve seen the best of Carson Wentz, that probably comes in year 2 or year 3. Remember this guy didn’t have a preseason or a training camp and that matters. We’ve seen flashes of what he can be but I think it was entirely worth it.”
PFF Data Scientist and Betting Analyst Ben Brown provided JMV with some numbers in justifying the trade:
“We can use a few different metrics to look at that. We use a WAR value which kind of encompasses the idea of how valuable a position is worth and how well that player is performing against his peers. Wentz has exceeded expectations and currently has a top 15 passing grade according to PFF. You’re just not going to find that in the 1st round of the draft if you went with a rookie to build with. I think it solves, at least for a few more years, their question of who will be their QB. I think they’re capable of making some noise in the AFC with Wentz as their QB.”
Nothing is ever 100% when polling sports fans, but a majority would agree with Zak Keefer and Ben Brown that Carson Wentz has exceeded expectations in year 1 with the Colts and that even though saying goodbye to a 1st round pick is painful, it’s a small price to pay for a potential franchise QB of the future. If you want to hear JMV’s thoughts on the trade, make sure to listen to the podcast!
