COMMANDERS RELEASE QB CARSON WENTZ, PLACE FRANCHISE TAG ON DT DARON PAYNE
The Washington Commanders have placed the franchise tag on Pro Bowl DT Daron Payne this morning, as per ESPN’s Adam Schefter.
Payne played on his fifth-year option in 2022, earning a guaranteed $8.529 million salary, and had his best year to date in the league. The 25-year-old finished the season with career highs in tackles (64), sacks (11.5), and pass deflections (5), which earned him the first Pro Bowl selection of his career.
The former Alabama Crimson Tide alumnus becomes the first player in the league to receive a franchise tag this offseason. The one-year tag is projected to be $18.937 million and gives Washington time to negotiate a longer-term deal with the defensive lineman. The Commanders can still sign Payne to a long-term extension before July 15th and will also be working on extending DE Montez Sweat. Sweat will play 2023 on his fifth-year option.
The Commanders also announced a couple of salary cap moves on Monday evening, confirming that they had released QB Carson Wentz after just one season in the capital. The team also released S Bobby McCain, generating more than $30 million in salary cap space from those two moves alone.
The 2016 second-overall pick will now be looking for his fourth team in 4 years ahead of the 2023 season. Three years after leading the Philadelphia Eagles to an 11-2 record and helping them win a maiden Super Bowl in 2018, Carson Wentz was traded by the Eagles ahead of the 2021 season to the Colts for a 2021 third-round pick and a 2022 first-round pick.
The former North Dakota State quarterback would be traded again after just one year, moving to Washington for 2022 second-round and third-round picks and a 2023 third-round pick. The Commanders would also receive a 2022 second-round pick and a seventh-round pick via the trade.
As far as his performances in 2022, Wentz’s first six starts as a Commander were extremely underwhelming as he led the Commanders to a measly 2-4 record to start the season. He would then suffer a fractured finger on his throwing hand during Week 6 in Chicago that took him out of the starting lineup and gave Taylor Heinicke an opportunity as a starter..
Heinicke led the Commanders to an impressive run of five wins in their next six games and catapulted Washington into playoff contention. The team would suffer a disappointing tie in East Rutherford against the New York Giants in Week 13 before losing to the Big Blue at home in Week 15 following a bye.
With the Commanders 7-6-1 and suffering a blow-out Christmas Day loss against the San Francisco 49ers in Week 16, Head Coach Ron Rivera pulled Heinicke out of the game and handed the keys to Carson Wentz. Wentz would go on to register his highest pass completion percentage of the season (75.0%) completing 12 of 16 passes for 123 passing yards and 1 touchdown and registering an impressive passer rating of 117.5.
The 30 year old was then named the starter in a must-win home game against the Browns in Week 17, a compliment to his Week 16 exploits in San Francisco. A win would keep Washington’s playoff hopes alive. Wentz, however, threw a season-high three interceptions and no touchdowns in the 24-10 defeat, completing only 57.1% of his passes, his lowest pass completion percentage of the season, and registered a measly passer rating of 31.4.
That gave way to rookie QB Sam Howell’s first NFL start in Week 18, who earned a thrilling home win over division rivals Dallas. As far as the quarterback situation in Washington is concerned, Rivera said after the season that Howell was likely the team’s top quarterback going into the offseason.
“We will go into OTAs, minicamp, and training camp with Sam Howell more than likely QB1, and we’ll see what happens. I mean it’s his opportunity,” said Rivera. “This is a challenge to him. If he comes out and does the things that he’s capable of, we believe he’s capable of, he can most certainly be our guy. But we’ll find out. Again, that’s what competition’s going to do. It’s going to bring the best out in all our guys.”
The Commanders will begin a new season with a new offensive coordinator/assistant head coach in Eric Bieniemy after making the appointment this month. And with Wentz now out of the picture in Washington, the big question for the Commanders’ offense is: How well will Howell transition to the starting role?
-Maher Abucheri
Twitter: @pabloikonyero
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