The Indianapolis Colts have been connected to trades for both Carson Wentz and Zach Ertz and a package deal might be in the franchise’s best interest.
Outside of the Deshaun Watson sweepstakes, it feels as if there isn’t a possible NFL trade that the Indianapolis Colts haven’t been connected to. One of the most consistent, though, is their connection to current Eagles quarterback Carson Wentz. A possible reunion between Wentz and Colts head coach Frank Reich has been discussed frequently.
And for good reason. Just last week, Stephen Holder of The Athletic reported that Indianapolis had indeed expressed interest in acquiring the quarterback. However, there has been another trade development that could be intertwined with Wentz.
As the Eagles are reportedly also interested in moving on from tight end Zach Ertz, they would love to trade him (though they could end up releasing him). However, the Colts are also reportedly interested in Ertz in some manner.
While Indianapolis could possibly wait and see if Ertz hits the open market as a free agent, the possibility of trading with Philadelphia for both players can’t be ignored. And it may be a risk worth taking.
Swinging for a Carson Wentz, Zach Ertz trade haul would benefit the Colts.
For the crowd that is sure to say, “Why wouldn’t Indianapolis just wait for Ertz to be released and then sign him?”, that’s a valid question. However, that brings a lot of other factors into the mix. Other teams could swoop in and grab him whereas a trade would ensure the Colts would be able to upgrade at tight end, something they’ve clearly wanted to do.
More importantly, though, the latest rumblings about Indianapolis trading for Wentz brought to light that the Eagles were asking for more than the Colts were offering. That stands to reason in negotiation but it also means that Philadelphia might be wanting something akin to a first-round pick (or more) for a distressed asset.
While reuniting with Reich might be Wentz’s best chance at redemption, trading highly valuable draft capital for such a player does not necessarily pass the cost-benefit analysis for Indianapolis. But if you’re giving up those picks (with a sweetener) and getting Wentz and Ertz, that changes things.
It’s still early in the offseason and, frankly, we don’t know where Wentz will land or who will be the Colts’ starting quarterback come Week 1. Having said that, the dots that you can connect based on reports draw a picture of a Wentz-Ertz package that Indianapolis should be willing to bank on.