Only one year into the Carson Wentz experiment, and the Indianapolis Colts are ready to move on. Indy is reportedly dealing their starting quarterback plus a 2022 second round pick to the Washington Commanders in exchange for a 2022 third round pick, a 2023 third that can convert to a second rounder if Wentz takes 70% of the snaps next year, and a 2022 second round pick.
In his sole season in Indianapolis, Wentz passed for 3,563yds, 27TDs and 7INTs while starting all 17 games for the Colts. The decision to move on from Wentz comes less than a calendar year from when Jim Irsay’s franchise acquired the former North Dakota St. product from Philadelphia in exchange for a 2022 1st rounder and a 2021 3rd.
Wentz is still under contract for the next 3 years after signing a 4 year $128M deal with the Eagles in 2020. Washington will reportedly absorb the entirety of their new QB’s deal, which will count for $28M against the cap in 2022.
The Commanders were active on the QB market this offseason, having allegedly offered Seattle a massive package in an attempt to acquire Russell Wilson prior to him being dealt to Denver. In 2021, Washington saw Ryan Fitzpatrick, Taylor Heinecke, Kyle Allen, and Garrett Gilbert all take snaps under centre.
Heading into his 7th NFL season, Wentz is still only 29 years old and has plenty of tread left on the tires. That being said, the playbook is essentially out on him at this point: he can be more than serviceable as an NFL quarterback, but has a tendency to turn the ball over at the worst possible time during games.
This trait reared its ugly head once more in the Colts final game of the season where a win over the lowly Jacksonville Jaguars would have clinched a playoff spot for the Colts. Unfortunately Wentz would go only 17/29 for 185yds 1TD & 1INT in Indy’s 26-11 loss. From there, it appeared as though the writing was on the wall in terms of Wentz’s future in Indianapolis.
Wentz will now face the Eagles twice in 2022, while also playing the Colts on the Commanders’ regular season schedule.
-Photo: Alexander Jonesi. This file is licensed under the Creative Commons Attribution-Share Alike 2.0 Generic license.