To preserve Wentz, do right by Peters
PHILADELPHIA » If the Eagles are serious about protecting Carson Wentz, their most valuable resource, they need to do two things.
First, take the pay cut off the table and assure all-world offensive tackle Jason Peters he’s part of their plans the next two years.
Next, when the time is right, move him to guard without a reduction in pay. Peters told me he’s willing to play inside if that’s where the coaching staff thinks he can best help.
Right now Peters and right tackle Lane Johnson give the Eagles their best chance of keeping Wentz whole. We’ll take Peters and his 169 games of experience pass-protecting the quarterbacks’ blindside to Johnson, who has started just two games at left tackle.
“I feel good,” Peters said. “Once I feel like I can’t do it no more, I’m just going to do what’s best for the team. I’ll play a little guard, and I’ll be done. Whatever the coaches want me to do, I’ll do it.”
There’s been talk of Peters moving inside the past couple of years. His run blocking is as devastating as ever. The talk faded when he was voted to his eighth and ninth Pro Bowls.
The Eagles put themselves in salary cap hell shelling out millions to quarterbacks Sam Bradford and Chase Daniel. They traded a small fortune of assets to move up to get Wentz, then got rid of Bradford and Daniel. The Eagles wound up shedding more veteran contracts after handing defensive tackle Fletcher Cox a record $102 million contract.
All of that spending got the Eagles a 7-9 record last year and a fourth straight season without a playoff appearance.
Peters, 35, understands the business side of football. He watched the great Peyton Manning’s skills erode to the point he took a pay cut to get one more shot at a Super Bowl.
When the Eagles approached Peters about taking a pay cut last January, it hurt.
“I just told them I didn’t understand that,” Peters said. “I told them it was a ‘Do what you’ve got to do type deal.’ It’s just business. You get older, they try to reduce your pay. They try to put a younger guy in there. It’s just part of it.”
Peters is under contract the next two years at base salaries of $10.45 million and $10 million. He skipped the OTAs partly over the uncertainty with his contract.
At some point the Eagles will operate at left tackle with Johnson, due $7.75 million this season, $10 million in 2018 and $10.6 million in 2019. Moving Johnson means going to Hal Vaitai or Isaac Seumalo at right tackle. Vaitai was overpowered before injuring a knee last season. While Seumalo played well in his only start at right tackle, the Eagles want him to play inside.
Just so we have it right, the Eagles want to slash the pay of a proven veteran playing one of the most important positions in pro football and, if he’s insulted enough to walk away from the game, replace him with people who haven’t proven to be ready … and keep Wentz upright and confident that he won’t have to run for his life so he can get the football to the weapons the Eagles invested in, both in the draft and free agency.
Eagles head coach Doug Pederson sounds like he wants to sit this debate out. Pederson blew the usual kisses in the direction of Peters, calling him “a great football player, a Pro Bowl left tackle, an anchor on that offensive line.”
Will Peters get a reasonable contract enabling him to retire as an Eagle?
“I really don’t know that,” Pederson said. “I’m just worried about the rest of today and seeing if we can get the power back on.”
The power returned around noon. A transformer malfunction left the NovaCare Complex dark.
Peters, meanwhile, is in the dark although that could change. He’s become a symbol of how it’s not what the Eagles say, it’s what they do.
“It’s going to come to a head,” Johnson said. “I just don’t know when. It’s kind of a waiting game. I got drafted as a left tackle. I just really haven’t had those reps. I’ve been here stuck at right. This is really the first OTAs that I’ve had to get reps in there so it’s been good for me. They pay me as a left tackle. I’ll eventually get over there. Maybe if (Peters) comes out of the game late, I’ll come in and play some left. I think more of that will take place. I don’t think it will be strictly right tackle all the time.”
Peters, whom Johnson calls “old poppa bear,” would like to know where the Eagles stand on his contract before training camp. He’ll be at camp unless he’s cut or traded, the latter of which would be anything but welcome.
“I want to be here,” Peters said. “I want to retire here. I’m just day-to-day with them talking, reducing pay, whatever they want to do. I’m here to show them I haven’t missed a beat.”