After a strong 2019 regular season from Carson Wentz, the last thing Eagles fans expected this offseason was a sudden identity crisis at the quarterback position.
But drafting a QB in the second round does things to your mind.
Wentz's value, to the franchise and in the context of the NFL, has been debated at length non-stop since the Eagles picked Jalen Hurts in April's NFL Draft, and one NFL analyst has finally had enough of the disrespect.
Good Morning Football host and Eagles apologist Kyle Brandt exploded on Friday morning with a rant defending Wentz, extolling his skills and calling him - gasp - a Top 5 quarterback.
Here's the clip:
And here's the portion that has football fans talking:
Carson Wentz is fantastic. I'll go a step further, I'll lob a grenade at 7 a.m.: Going into this season, the 2020 season, he is in the top five guys I would ever want on my team, leading my team. I've got Mahomes, Russ, Lamar, Rodgers, and Carson Wentz. Give me Carson Wentz before Deshaun, Dak, Cousins, Matt Ryan, and including a 41-year-old Drew Brees and a 43-year-old Tom Brady.
NFL
That's pretty spicy, and plenty will disagree, but I have to say I sort of like what Brandt is saying.
Outside of the health concerns, which still feel overblown - he played all 16 games last season! - Wentz has been a stud to this point in his NFL career.
In 40 regular-season games over the last three years, Wentz has thrown 81 touchdowns to 21 interceptions, a totally insane ratio for a QB who hasn't yet entered his prime. He consistently made plays in the clutch, with lesser talent, during a string of do-or-die games at the end of the 2019 season. And his elusiveness, combined with his thick-as-a-bison build, make him an extremely tough tackle - helpful for extending plays and picking up first downs with his feet.
Putting Wentz over guys like Deshaun Watson, Dak Prescott, and Kirk Cousins feels totally justified. Can you imagine how Wentz would've played last year with a WR1 option like Deandre Hopkins, Amari Cooper, or Adam Thielen? Instead he had one game of DeSean Jackson, an injury-addled Alshon Jeffery, and not much else, and still led the Eagles to the playoffs.
Brees isn't getting any younger, and while he hasn't really slowed down, it could happen any day. Brady has looked, in his last couple seasons, less like a "put the team on my shoulders" guy and more like a dude who's just doing his best to not mess up.
Does Wentz still have room for improvement? Of course. But giving him the weapons that other star quarterbacks already have will make that progression much, much easier.
Right now, it feels like Brandt at least has an argument: Wentz could be a Top 5 quarterback heading into 2020. He might even be higher.
Click here to download the MyTeams App by NBC Sports! Receive comprehensive coverage of your teams and stream the Flyers, Sixers and Phillies games easily on your device.