Wentz works his way past angst over Matthews trade
PHILADELPHIA » His autographs and mandatory selfie shots politely dispensed with, Carson Wentz set about Tuesday stepping back into the first real controversy of the new Eagles season.
Yeah, this is about as controversial as it gets for the bearded beaming one. He wanted to quickly dispense with this, too.
Wentz had only spoken honestly; briefly remarking Saturday how stunned he was by the trade the previous day of veteran receiver and one of his “best friends” Jordan Matthews to the Buffalo Bills for cornerback Ronald Darby.
A guy that instantly and easily became the Eagles’ best cornerback.
Now, three days later, came another mandatory Carson monologue inside the Eagles’ dripping wet interview tent at their Backyard Fair of a training camp. It was time for Wentz to walk it back a bit.
First he was asked to address the “adjustment” that had to be made without Matthews being around.
“It was like that during OTAs, when he was out and everything,” Wentz said. “Obviously we’ve been shuffling guys all over the place, but at the same time it’s been good.”
Matthews missed the spring activities with a knee issue, and he also missed a couple of games last season. When healthy in 2016, he turned in a 73-catch campaign and continued to be one of league’s most consistent slot receivers.
But Matthews was in a contract year, and with the apparent progress of receiver Nelson Agholor in the slot during OTAs and camp, Matthews was deemed to be expendable to help an Eagles defense that could fairly be judged as anywhere from vulnerable to vacant at the corners.
On its surface, then, Wentz likely could understand the deal. It’s just that from an immediate emotional standpoint ... it hurt.
Not that he was eager to dwell on that.
“It’s one of those things,” Wentz said. “Just like anything in life, I’m very optimistic and I’m always just kind of pressing forward. But I really don’t want to talk too much about that. I feel we addressed that earlier in the week. I’m just trying to be optimistic and just keep going.”
Matthews, who was driven to the airport by Wentz after the trade, was less than 15 minutes into his first practice with the Bills when he suffered an injury later determined to be a chip fracture in his chest area. He’s week to week for the Bills, who are suddenly short at receiver since they dealt top passcatcher Sammy Watkins to the Rams.
Not so for the Eagles, Agholor says.
“I’m out there with other pass-catchers and guys that are going to help me out and I have to help those guys out,” Agholor said. “This is a team game, it’s 11 guys on offense. As a unit we all have to do our job so that we can have success. So it really doesn’t matter if I mess up or somebody else messes up ... or if I do well and somebody else messes up. We all have to click on all cylinders.”
Agholor had said largely the same thing in an interview a week ago, when he was still said to be locked in a bit of a battle with Matthews for the starting slot spot.
“It’s something that he’s really embraced going all the way back to the spring, when Jordan missed some time,” coach Doug Pederson said of Agholor’s move to the slot. “He’s also one of our better blocking receivers, so that position requires that receiver to block a little bit. He’s a physical guy. He’s learning that role. ... I’m encouraged by where he’s at.”
And yet, Pederson and the Eagles are said to be mulling somewhat of a split of the role, with backup tight end Trey Burton perhaps lining up there on more than rare occasion. Either way, Agholor still seems ready for a challenge.
“Competition makes you better man,” he said. “At the end of the day we still have a lot of great receivers on this team and guys that are plenty capable of making plays in this league. So every day you just fight, get better and help each other as time goes on.”
Agholor says he’s aware that a slot guy’s job requires using the body away from the ball.
“That’s been my No. 1 thing; I want to be a guy you can count on for all four downs,” Agholor said. “I don’t want to be a onetrick pony. I’m continuing to work on all aspects of my game.”
If that’s a change in mindset or work ethic for the young receiver, it’s been noticed.
“I feel like he’s in a good place,” Wentz said of Agholor. “I don’t want to say I see a new guy, but I do see a more confident guy. He’s just out there playing and having fun and competing; doing what he loves.”
In working through soggy drills and post-workout fan duties, Wentz was back Tuesday to the smiling, confident guy he’s seemed to be all training camp. That is, before his buddy was sent to Buffalo, and then got hurt.
“Yeah, it’s interesting how it all works out,” Wentz said. “For (Matthews) it’s really unfortunate. But yeah, we talked yesterday about it, and I just told him I’ve been praying for him a lot. It’s a tough trade and then getting injured and everything. He knows the Lord has a plan and we talked about that.”