Doug Pederson once served as Brett Favre’s backup. Favre currently doesn’t have Pederson’s back.
Appearing on ESPN’s First Take, Favre said that Pederson’s Eagles should have kept quarterback Nick Foles instead of Carson Wentz following the 2018 season.
“I think [Wentz] is very capable,” Favre said, via Martin Frank of the Delaware News Journal. “I think we’re all in agreement that he has the tools. I actually thought they should have kept Nick Foles rather than Carson Wentz, just based off of production and where they got to.
“You know, they won a Super Bowl with Foles. They’re obviously banking on [Wentz’s] upside, but how many more years do you let him linger before you stick with him or cut bait?”
Pederson was asked about Favre’s comments by reporters on Wednesday.
“I respect Brett’s opinion,” Pederson said, via Frank. “We are friends. I haven’t talked to him, and he’s entitled to that, and that’s about it.” Pressed on the situation, Pederson eventually said, “Carson’s our guy.”
“Carson was our draft pick,” Pederson said of the man taken second overall in 2016, after the Eagles traded up. “Carson’s the guy who’s going to carry us and lead this football team. Listen, everybody is entitled to their own opinion. Those aren’t my words. Those aren’t [G.M. Howie Roseman’s] words, [owner Jeffrey Lurie’s] words. Those are [Favre’s] words. I respect that opinion. Whatever he wants to say, that’s fine. We’re going to remain friends. That doesn’t bother me one way or the other.”
The Eagles have both doubled- and tripled-down on Wentz, beyond making the move up to get him more than four years ago. After 2018, the Eagles let Foles leave via free agency, renewing the vows with Wentz. Then, the Eagles gave Wentz a new contract, paying him north of $30 million per year in new money.
In hindsight, should they have kept Foles? Arguably, yes. But they didn’t. Thus, they gain nothing by admitting that now.
As a practical matter, Wentz’s contract ties him to the Eagles through 2021. At that point, the question becomes whether they keep him, or whether they move on. Based on how he has played this year, moving on becomes a real possibility, unless things change.