There was never a sense of panic. Not once was there a conflict of ideals. The Eagles wanted to do right by Carson Wentz, and the franchise quarterback wanted to be an Eagle for as many years as he could see forward, so in the end the two parties had the same goal in mind:
Making sure a long-term contract extension was done the right way.
And that's what has happened, as the Eagles have officially announced a new deal for Wentz, good for a four-year extension through 2024.
This one, folks, is a win-win-win.
It's a win for Wentz as it provides for him a long-term commitment and peace of mind entering his fourth season and the understanding that "the marriage," as head coach Doug Pederson has alluded to numerous times before, with the Eagles is here and it's real and it's meaningful and fabulous. The Eagles know what they have in Wentz, an immensely talented player who is a tremendous leader and incredibly competitive quarterback who, frankly, helps make Philadelphia a Super Bowl-contending team every season. By finishing the deal now, Wentz doesn't have to have any lingering business on his mind. He doesn't have to answer questions about the future. He certainly doesn't have to worry about any financial security, nor does he have to question at all the affinity and the respect the organization has for him.
It's a win for the Eagles, who locked up the most valuable asset in all of professional sports – a franchise quarterback. Wentz is every bit of that as he prepares to enter the prime seasons of his playing career. How long that prime lasts – seven years? Ten seasons? More? – likely comes down to his long-term health picture and the pieces the Eagles put in place as surrounding offensive pieces. You've already seen the approach in this rather remarkable offseason as the Eagles rebuilt their backfield, added firepower to the wide receiver room, bolstered the offensive line, and retained the vast majority of the offensive coaching staff. The spring Organized Team Activities have offered a glimpse into what is hopefully to come as Wentz and his receiving corps have built chemistry and developed camaraderie as No. 11 has looked sizzling rocketing passes to his varied group of pass catchers.
It's also a win for the fans of the Philadelphia Eagles, who know that Wentz is the guy for now and for the future. The Eagles, ever creative in their approach to roster building and salary-cap navigation, have put together a contract for Wentz that, while lucrative, isn't in any way hamstringing the football operations for 2019. Howie Roseman has said many times that the salary cap would not preclude the team from adding key pieces, and the evidence in this offseason is convincing: The Eagles were aggressive in free agency, highlighted by the signing of defensive tackle Malik Jackson. Roseman engineered trades to acquire wide receiver DeSean Jackson and then running back Jordan Howard. The team moved up in the draft from No. 25 overall to No. 22 in the first round to select a player the team believes will be the left tackle of the future, Andre Dillard.
Are those the moves of a team retreating in the face of a burdensome contract for the quarterback? No way.
This deal was always, as both sides spoke through the last year, when, not if. The timing is perfect – the Eagles have their mandatory three-day minicamp next week at the NovaCare Complex and then break for a handful of weeks before the players and coaches report back to the NovaCare Complex for Training Camp. When camp opens, it's going to be all about football. The business part of it, the stuff that can get a little hairy in the media and for the fans, is not in the conversation.
That is a great relief for everyone.
That the Eagles have a deal with Wentz isn't a surprise at all. This was meant to be. Now that it's officially official, it just feels right. It feels great.
Everybody wins here, and isn't that the way you want it to be? Wentz and the Eagles are joined together. It's a marriage that is worth every bit of the investment. In a league where the quarterback is the focal point and the singular player most difficult to obtain – and then retain – the Eagles and Wentz are in great shape together, and that should make everyone very, very happy.
