Carson Wentz is at a crossroads for his Eagles career

The Philadelphia Eagles can’t afford to be without Carson Wentz at any point this season. Furthermore, Wentz can’t afford to be missing time either.

The duo needs each other more than at any other time in this partnership. The Eagles, who for the last two years have ridden Nick Foles to a pair of playoff appearances including the team’s first Super Bowl victory, are now without him. After releasing Foles into free agency, the veteran signed on with the Jacksonville Jaguars for four years and $88 million. Not bad for a guy who considered retirement only a few seasons ago.

With the unproven Nate Sudfeld as the Philadelphia backup quarterback, Wentz’s health is paramount.

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Carson Wentz, 26, is entering his fourth NFL season. The former No. 2 overall pick out of North Dakota State, Wentz has played in 40 games while missing another eight, not including five postseason appearances that all went to Foles. In 2017, Wentz appeared to be riding towards an MVP campaign. Through 13 games, the budding star had thrown for 3,296 yards and 33 touchdowns against only seven interceptions for a Philadelphia team closing in on the NFC’s top seed. Then, Wentz tore his ACL. Done for the season.

Last year, Carson Wentz returned for Week 3 but never looked comfortable. The devil-may-care attitude within the pocket, the ability to break out of the pocket and make a wild throw, seemed limited. Then Wentz injured his back in December, and once again, done for the season.

While Wentz has this year and one more left on his rookie deal, 2019 is the tipping point. If he can’t stay healthy, general manager Howie Roseman will start wondering whether he can rely on Wentz. Translation? Should we be paying him like a franchise quarterback when he’s on the sideline more than the field?

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If Wentz can play all 16 regular-season games and look like the player west in 2017, he’ll be in negotiations to become the highest-paid player in the league. If we see more injuries and a tough time making the plays which made him special in the first place, perhaps Philadelphia tables any talks and simply goes into the fifth-year option, comfortable with the fallback position of using the franchise tag in 2021.

In short, the Eagles have one of the league’s most talented rosters. They have a real chance to get back to the Super Bowl for the second time in three years. They also have no chance of that happening if Wentz is in street clothes.

For the Eagles and Wentz, this season represents a critical point in their relationship.