Here is something to remember about Ryan Pace. If there is one thing about his time as GM, it's that he never, ever lets it slip what he has planned for an offseason. Few GMs take the Cloak & Dagger stuff to great heights than him. That is why everybody assuming they know what the
Chicago Bears are thinking at the quarterback position this offseason was always a bit odd. Specifically in regards to the Carson Wentz stuff.
When it became clear the Philadelphia Eagles were preparing to move on from the former Pro Bowler, the rumors began to fly. Everybody was certain a deal was imminent and the Bears were the front runners. Some aspiring insiders even had a good idea of the likely price tag
including a 1st round pick, Nick Foles, and
Tarik Cohen. Yet as Tuesday draws to a close, things appear to have cooled off significantly.
This has led to a widespread theory among insiders.
That the market for Wentz wasn't nearly as hot as initially thought. It was an elaborate ploy by the Eagles to feed the media in hopes of generating a bidding war for the 28-year old quarterback. A bidding war that hasn't materialized. In fact, some are of the belief that the Bears' supposed interest in Wentz is overblown as well.
NFL insider Mike Florio of Pro Football Talk was
speaking with colleague Chris Simms about the entire situation. His belief is that the Indianapolis Colts are the only serious contender for Wentz right now. Their offer for him isn't anywhere close to what Philadelphia wants. So Eagles GM Howie Roseman is using the Bears as leverage to get them to increase it.
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Bears interest in Carson Wentz was always a bit iffy
It's not hard to see the connections. John DeFilippo is their quarterbacks coach and now passing game coordinator. He worked with Wentz for two years in Philadelphia. Pace himself was a big fan of the QB back in the 2016 draft. Yet there were always red flags. Wentz is coming off the worst season of his career. He's surrounded by questions about his leadership and coachability. Not to mention the ongoing concerns about his ability to stay healthy.
Throw his massive contract on top of it? That just never made much sense for the Bears. Not with other potential options still in play. Besides, it's not like Carson Wentz himself would find Chicago appealing. The coaching staff is on the hot seat. It's a sports-obsessed town with little patience if the quarterback doesn't perform. Many have already made it know they want him nowhere near the team. It would be like going from Philadelphia East to Philadelphia West for him.
It could be best for everybody that he ends up with the Colts.
That doesn't mean the Bears won't end up making the deal. It just doesn't seem like they're the heavy favorite so many have made them out to be. There's way too much smoke for this to be real. Pace always operates with everything close to the vest. Wentz may be on his list, but it's likely nowhere near the top.
