The high-flying Philadelphia Eagles are trading in all their chips - does the Super Bowl finally await?
The Eagles have never won the big one but with Wentz at the helm fans really believe their long wait could at last come to an end
Your support helps us to tell the story
From reproductive rights to climate change to Big Tech, The Independent is on the ground when the story is developing. Whether it's investigating the financials of Elon Musk's pro-Trump PAC or producing our latest documentary, 'The A Word', which shines a light on the American women fighting for reproductive rights, we know how important it is to parse out the facts from the messaging.
At such a critical moment in US history, we need reporters on the ground. Your donation allows us to keep sending journalists to speak to both sides of the story.
The Independent is trusted by Americans across the entire political spectrum. And unlike many other quality news outlets, we choose not to lock Americans out of our reporting and analysis with paywalls. We believe quality journalism should be available to everyone, paid for by those who can afford it.
Your support makes all the difference.Fortune favours the brave, and never moreso than in a league where there is no prospect of relegation if things go wrong.
The Philadelphia Eagles have swung and missed more than a couple of times in recent years but finally, at long last, there are signs that they may be getting some reward for their willingness to try new things – sitting at 7-1 with the best record in football.
At the end of the 2015 season the Eagles found themselves once again at a crossroads. Chip Kelly had been the experiment that could have changed the league, an up-tempo, zone-read, spread-offense genius from the college game who had enjoyed huge success with Oregon. There were more than a few thinkpieces suggesting Kelly could change the way that the NFL - that staid old being - looked at offense and his first season saw success and a 10-6 record. He did it again in his second year but insisted that, to get over the hump, he needed more power.
That start to his NFL career had emboldened Kelly, a man never short of confidence in his own scheme, and he made an internal power grab that sidelined incumbent general manager Howie Roseman. Kelly now had full control over personnel, trading away some of his team’s biggest names – including LeSean McCoy and DeSean Jackson - and taking charge of the Eagles' draft. It felt boom or bust but would prove to be the latter as his offensive scheme got found out and Kelly proved an unpopular man manager. He was binned by Philly and after failing in a one-and-done campaign with San Francisco, Kelly is out of work and may never work in the NFL again.
A team that has never tasted Super Bowl glory had failed in their latest gamble but, fundamentally, paid no price. There is no relegation, just bad seasons. There is always light at the end of the tunnel and, crucially, Roseman had hung around through the Kelly experiment as a neutered exec but saw his powers restored. It was time to make his big move.
The Eagles already had pieces. They had Fletcher Cox, a game-changing defensive talent, they had arguably the best offensive tackle pairing in the league, an underrated safety corps and had brought in the talented Doug Pederson as their new head coach.
On that foundation they were ripe for starting again but once again the owner, Jeffrey Lurie, wasn’t one for building slowly.
The first move came under the radar with the Eagles waiting to pick 13th in the first round of the upcoming NFL draft. They traded Byron Maxwell, Kiko Alonso and that 13th overall pick to Miami for the 8th pick. A small jump but, in reality, just the first step of a bold, much greater ambition.
They then packaged that pick, a third-rounder, a fourth-rounder, a 2017 first-rounder and a 2018 second-rounder for the second overall pick in the 2016 draft. It was a move that would change the franchise – for good or bad – and allow them to pick quarterback Carson Wentz.
When you trade the house to get your guy, you have to be absolutely convinced of his talent and the Eagles were sold on Wentz even though he was a small-school guy out of North Dakota State.
Wentz has the classical quarterback frame – 6ft 5in, 237lb – and is a phenomenal athlete, but some teams doubted how a kid from the lower divisions of college football could step up to the big leagues.
His first season began on fire, with three wins in a row to ignite the Philly fanbase. But reality caught up with the rookie and the Eagles drifted to a 7-9 record.
Last off-season, Roseman did everything in his power to give Wentz a chance. He added weapons at wide receiver, splashing out $29m on free-agent pairing Alshon Jeffery and Torrey Smith. He bolstered an already impressive offensive line and he encouraged coach Pederson to put more on the plate of a young quarterback ready to learn and work hard for his chance.
The results could barely have been more impressive, with the Eagles now 7-1 and boasting the best record in football after demolishing San Francisco on Sunday. Wentz, only in his second year in the league, is a candidate for the MVP award after a string of stunning displays and some eye-catching individual moments. The 24 year-old is not simply making plays, he is making them when they seem impossible.
Much is made of the Eagles’ impressive fanbase – they consistently rank way up the attendance charts, players voted them the most intimidating support and they have sold out every home game since 1999 – but the one thing they’ve lacked is a Super Bowl.
Wentz is giving them hope that, as long as he's in Philadelphia, they can dream of their 84-year wait coming to an end.
But as impressive as he has been he cannot do it alone. A deadline-beating, swing-for-the-fences trade for Dolphins Pro Bowl running back Jay Ayayi shows the Eagles top brass know that too.
A bruising, punishing runner Ajayi adds the brawn to Wentz's brains and projects to give Philly the one extra dimension their high-powered offense has lacked thus far.
The NFL is the ultimate win-now league and this brand of high-risk, high-reward decision-making should be applauded - in the city where Rocky was born Philadelphia are finally a contender again.
Join our commenting forum
Join thought-provoking conversations, follow other Independent readers and see their replies
Comments