The Philadelphia Eagles’ decision to trade Sam Bradford and go with Carson Wentz at quarterback has surprised many, and that apparently includes some of their own players.
Speaking to PFT Live on Friday, former Eagles running back Brian Westbrook said he knew how it felt to be on a team looking to the future while being a veteran, and he knows some current players who feel negatively about it. He singled out Jason Peters and Malcolm Jenkins in particular as veterans who may be disheartened by the decision.
“Definitely,” Westbrook said when asked if the moves could bother some veteran players, via Mike Florio of ProFootballTalk. “There’s no doubt about it and I’ve talked to a few guys that have expressed that. A few guys have said, ‘We’re trying to win this year because I don’t know if I’m going to play next year and I’m definitely not sure if I’m going to be able to be in Philadelphia next year. So as much as we want this young guy Carson Wentz to be successful we’re concerned about winning this year. We’re concerned about winning now.’
“I think that there’s an understanding from the fans, the coaching staff as well as the front office that, ‘Hey, we’re going to need to take some time to build this thing the right way.’ Unfortunately for some of the older players, some of the veteran players, that doesn’t necessarily mesh with what your goal is as far as winning right now.”
Did these players know what they were signing up for? Maybe they did, maybe they didn’t. It’s unfortunate for them, but it’s the Eagles’ job to do what’s best for the organization. If Wentz struggles and proves the organizations who did not rate him highly correct, though, expect to hear a lot more criticism like this.
