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          NFL Nation

          Carson Wentz expected to sign contract as Eagles' rookie camp opens

          • Phil Sheridan, ESPN Staff WriterMay 12, 2016, 04:00 PM
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            • Spent a decade as sports columnist
              at Philadelphia Inquirer
            • Philadelphia native has covered Eagles
              in various roles since 1985
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          PHILADELPHIA -- The Philadelphia Eagles have completed contracts with seven of their eight 2016 draft picks. With rookie camp beginning Friday, the team appears set to complete its offseason negotiations.

          First-round pick Carson Wentz could sign his contract Thursday, according to a report from ESPN’s Ed Werder. Based on the NFL’s rookie wage scale, Wentz’s four-year contract will be worth about $26.7 million (fully guaranteed), including a $17.6 million signing bonus.

          The wage scale has been in place since 2011 and has all but eliminated rookie contract negotiations dragging into the summer and affecting training camp.

          The timing of Wentz’s deal is fortuitous for the Eagles. They were able to get their other picks signed within a week of the draft. Wentz’s deal would get finished just as the team opens its rookie camp, and just as the public conversation has centered on quarterback Sam Bradford's return to work after a brief holdout.

          Instead of more talk about Bradford and his unhappiness, the Eagles can generate headlines about Wentz agreeing to terms with the team.

          Wentz was the No. 2 overall pick in the 2016 draft. The Eagles selected him after moving up from the No. 13 pick with two trades. They went from No. 13 to No. 8 by trading cornerback Byron Maxwell and linebacker Kiko Alonso to the Miami Dolphins. The Eagles then traded the No. 8 pick and four other draft picks to the Cleveland Browns for the No. 2 pick.

          At the time of that second trade, Bradford left the NovaCare Complex and asked to be traded. He skipped voluntary workouts over the next two weeks.

          With the draft over and the window for making a trade closed, Bradford reported back to work Monday. He is expected to be the Eagles’ starting quarterback this season, according to head coach Doug Pederson. Bradford signed a new two-year, $35 million contract in March.

          Wentz’s deal will give the Eagles three quarterbacks under contract for a total of about $22.5 million under the 2016 salary cap. That is about as much as Joe Flacco counts against the Baltimore Ravens' cap this year.