Max Kellerman Says Carson Wentz Should Demand a Trade Even Though Wentz's Contract is Untradeable

Carson Wentz.
Carson Wentz. / Mitchell Leff/Getty Images
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A quick search on Spotrac can turn a good idea into a great one, but it can just as easily turn a bad idea into a horrific one.

Such was the case today, as I watched Max Kellerman explain why he thinks Carson Wentz should demand a trade from the Eagles since, you know, they just drafted Jalen Hurts in the second round.

Kellerman goes on a long diatribe here explaining why the Eagles should have used their second-round pick, eventually used to pick Hurts, to trade up in the first round and select wide receiver CeeDee Lamb. He argues Wentz needs an elite receiver and then goes in on Philadelphia for picking Wentz's replacement despite the fact that Wentz is only 27 years old.

That makes sense, I suppose. The Eagles do need help at wide receiver and Wentz is, let me check Google... Yes, 27.

Where Kellerman loses me is the end, when he says Wentz should demand a trade. The only issue there is his contract is completely and utterly untradeable. Not only this year, but next year too.

According to Spotrac, if the Eagles trade Carson Wentz before June 1, 2020, they'll eat $51 million in dead cap space in 2020. If they trade him after June 1, they'll have $17.2 million in dead cap space this year AND $33.8 million in dead cap space in 2021.

If the Eagles trade Carson Wentz before June 1, 2021, they'll have $33.8 million in dead cap space that year. If they trade him after June 1, they'll have $9.3 million in dead cap space in 2021 AND $24.5 million in 2022.

It doesn't take a math wizard to figure out none of those four situations are plausible.

Listen, I get where Kellerman is coming from here. Picking Hurts certainly says a lot about the team's faith in Wentz to stay healthy for a full season. But the reality is that Wentz has gotten hurt at the end of the last three seasons, so he should be understanding of their need to have a solid backup. And as a professional athlete, Wentz should be motivated to prove everyone wrong, stay healthy for a full year and establish himself as a top QB in the league, regardless of who's behind him.

Besides, where is he going to demand a trade to? There aren't many starting QB gigs open in the NFL these days, especially for an oft-injured quarterback with a bloated contract.

The fact is the Eagles and Wentz are connected at the hip for at least two years. A quick look-see at Spotrac verified that for me, and could have done the same for Kellerman before he went on the air.