The 2016 Carson Wentz Trade: Philadelphia Paid a Huge Draft Price and Opened a Super Bowl Window
Philadelphia sent Cleveland a five-pick package to reach No. 2 for Carson Wentz. The price was enormous, but Wentz's 2017 season helped put the Eagles in championship position.
Cleveland Browns Received
- pick 2016 1st round pick (8th overall subsequently traded, Jack Conklin ), 2016 3rd round pick (77th overall subsequently traded, Daryl Worley ), 2016 4th round pick (100th overall subsequently traded, Connor Cook ), 2017 1st round pick (12th overall subsequently traded, Deshaun Watson ) and 2018 2nd round pick (64th overall subsequently traded, Tyquan Lewis)
Philadelphia Eagles Received
- pick 2016 1st round pick (2nd overall, Carson Wentz )
- pick 2017 4th round pick (139th overall subsequently traded, Jehu Chesson )
Trade Summary
Philadelphia paid a major multi-year package to move from No. 8 to No. 2 for Carson Wentz. Wentz produced an MVP-caliber 2017 season that helped secure home-field advantage for the Eagles' first Super Bowl title, then Philadelphia later recovered premium value in trading him. Cleveland collected extensive draft capital, but the conversion produced mixed long-term results.
Trade Analysis
What the Trade Actually Did
Philadelphia acquired the No. 2 pick in the 2016 draft and a 2017 fourth-rounder from Cleveland. The Eagles sent the No. 8 pick, a 2016 third, a 2016 fourth, their 2017 first-round pick and a 2018 second. They used No. 2 on Carson Wentz. It was a franchise-scale bet: several premium assets concentrated into one quarterback prospect.
Why Philadelphia Took the Risk
The Eagles believed quarterback uncertainty was more expensive than the picks required to solve it. Wentz justified that belief at his peak. In 2017 he played at an MVP-caliber level before a late-season knee injury, helping Philadelphia build the record and home-field position that preceded the franchise's first Super Bowl title of the modern era.
Wentz did not play in that postseason run, so he should not receive credit for Nick Foles' playoff performance. But his regular season was a major part of why the Eagles entered January in position to survive the injury and still win the championship.
What Cleveland Received
The Browns received the kind of multi-year draft package rebuilding teams covet. Cleveland turned the assets into several players and additional transactions. From a pure asset-management perspective, declining Philadelphia's offer would have been difficult.
The problem is that the Browns did not turn the package into a comparable quarterback or a single player with Wentz's 2017 peak. Philadelphia also recovered meaningful value when it later traded Wentz to Indianapolis, extending the asset chain beyond his Eagles tenure.
How the Trade Should Be Judged
This was not a cheap win. Philadelphia accepted real downside, and Wentz's career with the Eagles ended earlier than expected. But quarterback trades are often about creating a contention window rather than maximizing the number of picks retained.
Final Verdict
The Eagles win, though Cleveland's grade remains respectable. Philadelphia paid a huge price but found a quarterback who helped create a championship-level season, then recovered additional draft value when the relationship ended.