Former Eagles QB Josh McCown On Carson Wentz: 'His Confidence Is Off The Charts'
PHILADELPHIA (CBS) -- The Philadelphia Eagles raised some eyebrows over the weekend when they selected Oklahoma quarterback Jalen Hurts in the second round of the NFL Draft. The move immediately sparked a conversation about what it means for starting quarterback Carson Wentz.
Did the team not believe in him anymore? General manager Howie Roseman says that's not the case.
But, other fans wondered how Wentz would feel about the situation considering the organization just handed him a $100-plus million contract extension last season. Wentz's backup last season, Josh McCown, joined The Lefkoe Show on Bleacher Report to quell any concerns fans may have about the move shaking Wentz's confidence.
"I don't think so and here's why, I go back to the last four weeks of the season last year," said McCown when asked if fans should be worried about Wentz's mindset. "When you can change the parts around you and continue to play at a high level and your level even goes up? Four-thousand yards without a receiver over 500 is incredible. I just thought, down the stretch, he played at such a high level, his confidence is off the charts."
Are there worries about Wentz's mindset after the Eagles drafted Jalen Hurts?@JoshMcCown12 says last year's playoff push has Wentz on a new level. pic.twitter.com/SyXbOTuIpi
— Adam Lefkoe (@AdamLefkoe) April 28, 2020
The point is well made. Wentz took a ragtag group of receivers to four straight wins in December, playing some of the best football of his career. In that stretch, Wentz completed 117 of 173 pass attempts (67.6%) for 1,199 yards and seven touchdowns with zero interceptions. That's why McCown believes Wentz is focused more on the new weapons he has at his disposal than any kind of perceived competition that may be presented by the team's second-round pick.
"His mindset is, to bring in a second-round quarterback, I don't think that is a thing because he's in such a different place because of where he took the guys," said McCown. "You look at, OK, last year we took a relative group of unknowns and made our way into the playoffs. Now, we've drafted some guys that are 4.3 guys, they added Goodwin, all this stuff. All of a sudden you're going, 'OK, Carson, if you can work that magic you did in those last four weeks, what can you do with these guys?' That's where my mindset is and I think it's where his mindset is too."
Regardless, this will be a conversation that we continue to have as the 2020 season approaches. And it's one that fans will get a little louder about if the offense sputters or some of the later round selections at wide receiver don't pan out.