Chicago Bears fans will not see Carson Wentz under center next year.
The Philadelphia Eagles are sending Wentz to the Indianapolis Colts in exchange for a 2021 third-round pick and a conditional second-round pick in 2022. Indy is betting the embattled signal-caller will rediscover success under head coach Frank Reich, who was Wentz's quarterbacks coach in Philly.
Sports Illustrated's Albert Breer reported Chicago never made a real offer for Wentz. Bears fans should be glad general manager Ryan Pace did not proceed further in talks.
The Colts seemingly have a strong foundation to build around Wentz. The Bears were in no such place to acquire the polarizing quarterback.
How would Chicago be a better situation than Philly?
There is no denying Wentz struggled with the decision-making process last season. However, some of his struggles can certainly be attributed to the lack of talent and quality depth of the Eagles' offense.
Philly's offensive line was a puzzle all season. Tackle Andre Dillard and guard Brandon Brooks both went down with season-ending injuries before the 2020 campaign even started. Lane Johnson also missed time. As Pro Football Focus noted, 11 different linemen played at least 50 snaps last season.
The Eagles also had injuries at the wide receiver position, with veterans DeSean Jackson and Alshon Jeffery on the shelf and rookie Jalen Reagor also missing time.
Well, Chicago's offensive line also struggled in 2020, and the receiving corps looks especially dire with Allen Robinson headed for free agency.
Pro Football Focus ranked Chicago's O-line 20th in the NFL this past season, one spot behind the Eagles. Meanwhile, wideout Anthony Miller failed to live up to his potential and might be cut this offseason. Most notably, the Bears are suddenly a long shot to re-sign Robinson after failing to reach an agreement on an extension during the season.
In essence, Chicago almost appears to be a mirror image of the situation in Philly. Why would the Bears expect Carson Wentz to be successful in the Windy City?
Challenges on the other side of the ball
The quarterback situation is a pressing one for the Bears. It has been for years. But the defense that dominated the league in 2018 is suddenly an issue, as well.
Chicago ranked first in defensive scoring and third in yards against in 2018. The Bears have since slipped to 14th and 11th in those categories, respectively. Chicago also ranked 25th in takeaways.
Guys are aging. Akiem Hicks, Khalil Mack and Robert Quinn will all be in their 30s next season. Aside from Jaylon Johnson, the secondary is also full of guys either in their 30s or rapidly approaching that age.
The Bears need to get younger and faster to rediscover defensive dominance. That means retaining as much draft capital as possible so as to get impact defenders each April.
The skinny
It simply was not worth it for the Bears to give up picks for a guy who likely would not have been successful in Chicago, especially when the team faces a number of challenges at multiple positions.
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