What Carson Wentz brings to the Washington Commanders
On March 9, just one day after the Seahawks sent Russell Wilson to the Broncos in a blockbuster trade, the Washington Commanders acquired Carson Wentz from the Indianapolis Colts.
At 29-years-old, Wentz is a year removed from one of his most efficient seasons in the NFL. However, the Colts finished 9–8 and missed the playoffs, and rumors around the league suggest owner Jim Irsay wanted a change to hopefully keep his team’s playoff window open.
Despite Indy’s alleged eagerness to move on from Wentz, the Commanders managed to find an improvement at the quarterback position for a decent price. Wentz will earn $28M in 2022, putting him ninth on the list of the current highest-paid quarterbacks. If he pans out and becomes a respectable starter, the cash and draft picks spent won’t seem like much at all.
How Wentz can help the Commanders
Washington badly needed an upgrade at quarterback after a shaky 2021 season from Taylor Heinicke. His 17 turnovers last year, many of which were game altering, ranked sixth among all players. On the other hand, Carson Wentz had 12 turnovers, with just seven interceptions to Heinicke’s 15. Wentz has been consistently reliable with the ball over his career, aside from two outlier seasons.
Along with limiting turnovers, the Commanders should be able to stretch the field more with Carson Wentz at the helm. His arm strength and mobility outside the pocket create big-play potential, which Washington has lacked recently. Terry McLaurin, who has played with eight different starting quarterbacks in three years, should have his best opportunity yet at a breakout season.
(Watch: Carson Wentz career deep ball and scramble compilation)
What happens if he doesn’t pan out?
While the Commanders are hoping Wentz will elevate their offense, they aren’t bound to him if he doesn’t. After 2022 the team can release him with no salary cap penalty, saving them $53M over the next two years. Depending on where they finish, they may then look to the draft for their franchise quarterback, or test free agency for the likes of Derek Carr or Matt Stafford.
It will certainly be a make-or-break year for Washington’s 23rd different starting quarterback in as many seasons.
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