How did Eagles quarterback Carson Wentz go from being a potential MVP candidate to a backup quarterback so quickly? That is what head coach Doug Pederson will have to focus on in the next few months.
On Friday, Pederson said that his offseason goal was to fix Wentz and the quarterbacks on the roster. Wentz has shown he can play at a high level, but he looked nothing like he did in his previous four seasons.
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With $34 million invested in Wentz next season, the Eagles must see what they can do to salvage his career and get him back to the player he once was, if they decide to keep him. There are a few areas Wentz should focus on in the offseason.
Be more decisive and work on his anticipation
The one thing that no one can deny about this offense is that the skill players have a lot of speed.
There were times where receivers were breaking open and had a step on a defender, but Wentz, without an imminent threat of being sacked, hesitated to throw the ball and instead forced a pass to another receiver who was not as open. Wentz still has a strong arm, but he has to rely on his anticipation.
Unless there is a breakdown in coverage, most receivers, even the best ones in the game like DeAndre Hopkins and Devante Adams, will have only a couple of steps on cornerbacks. Wentz has to rely on his arm and what he is seeing and throw more accurately into the tight coverage windows.
Wentz can achieve this by working with a quarterbacks coach with the same pedigree as Jordan Palmer in the offseason. Palmer has worked with Josh Allen, a player with a similar skillset as Wentz, and helped him with his anticipation and throwing mechanics. Allen has thrown for 4,320 yards and completed nearly 70% of his passes this season.
Continue to work on his durability
After serious injuries have sidelined him in previous seasons, Wentz did not leave a game this season due to injury. He added some weight last offseason, which could have helped with some of the hits he took. However, the quarterback’s ability to run opens up the offense, as the Eagles have seen with Jalen Hurts.
Wentz should not be the leading rusher on this team, but the threat of him pulling the ball on zone reads can help keep drives going. It will also help Miles Sanders continue to be successful if teams have to respect Wentz’s running. The bottom line, however, is that he must stay healthy.
Improve his communication with teammates
Teammates made it a point when Hurts was elevated to starter that he has done well with his communication. If one or two players say it, it is an ancillary thing. When several players say it in their availabilities, it might have legs. By Wentz spending time on the sideline, he could pick up on how Hurts has communicated with the offense, which could help Wentz in the long run, and possibly help the team rally behind him if it’s needed again.
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Chris Franklin may be reached at cfranklin@njadvancemedia.com.
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January 02, 2021 at 08:39PM
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If Eagles’Carson Wentz wants to start again, he has to work on these 3 things this offseason - NJ.com
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