The Eagles might not have been crazy about Carson Wentz going outside the organization for tutoring during the offseason, but it sounds like it’s helped.
Wentz says that working with quarterback guru Adam Dedeaux is among the factors that make him feel more confident heading into his second season.
“Way more comfortable,” Wentz told Peter King of the MMQB. “It’s OTAs, I know. But things have slowed down. I’m not thinking about everything anymore—last year I was. Now I can feel the important things early in the play—where’s my answer, what are my options, what will work? It’s a different game when you can dial it down and feel you know what’s important to look for, and you’re not looking at every little thing out there. I mean, cover-2 is cover-2.”
New acquisitions Alshon Jeffery and Torrey Smith also should help Wentz. They can add a vertical element to the Eagles’ offense. Last season, tight end Zach Ertz led the team with 78 receptions. Wide receiver Jordan Matthews was second with 73 catches, but averaged just 11 yards per reception.
Jeffery averaged 15.8 yards per catch last year and two years ago Smith led the league with an average of 20.1 on 33 catches. Wentz has been working on his rapport with those two receivers at organized team activities.
Wentz seemed an early lock for Rookie of the Year when he led the Eagles to a 3-0 start while throwing five touchdown passes and no interceptions. He struggled after that, however, and the Eagles staggered to a 7-9 record while Wentz ended up with 16 touchdown passes and 14 interceptions.
Perhaps 2016 was a rookie year and sophomore slump all rolled into one. If Wentz really did get his second-year swoon out of the way, then he can continue showing why the Eagles traded up and used the second pick of the draft on him.
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