The Indianapolis Colts sound ready to move on from Carson Wentz and if they do, these four teams could be interested in a trade
It’s been an interesting ride for Carson Wentz. The former No. 2 overall pick out of North Dakota State was on the right path as he was one of the favorites for the NFL MVP in 2017 with the Philadelphia Eagles.
However, he ended up tearing his ACL late in that season and watched as Nick Foles won a Super Bowl without him. Wentz did still land a new contract with the Eagles but not even one calendar year later, they added Jalen Hurts who wound up taking his job.
Wentz then spent 2021 with the Indianapolis Colts where he was reunited with Frank Reich ‚— who was his offensive coordinator in 2017. There were hopes the two could find their magic together again but after a frustrating end to the season, it appears Wentz could be one and done with Indy.
There's a belief that #Colts QB Carson Wentz will "'probably" be traded or released before March 19th, per @mortreport. That's when $15M in base salary becomes guaranteed. His future in Indianapolis looks "bleak."
— Ari Meirov (@MySportsUpdate) February 13, 2022
If they do decide to move on, here are four teams that make sense to give him another shot.
Carson Wentz landing spot No. 4: Washington Commanders
Carson Wentz is no stranger to the Washington Commanders — even if he remembers them by a different name. Wentz spent his first five seasons with the Eagles playing in the NFC East which is where the Commanders reside.
Washington also knows Wentz well because of this and while he has his flaws, he would still be an upgrade over Taylor Heinicke. And improving the quarterback position could be all it takes to get this club back on top in the East.
In 2021 when they were still known as the Football Team, Washington finished 7-10 and in third place. The prior season, they were 7-9 but won the division since it was so bad.
Washington has the talent to get back into contention in that division, and Wentz could be what they need to get back on top.
Carson Wentz landing spot No. 3: Cleveland Browns
It wasn’t that long ago that it seemed as though the Cleveland Browns were going to be one of the teams to watch in the AFC. Baker Mayfield was coming into his own and won 11 games in 2020 — and then added a playoff victory over the hated Pittsburgh Steelers on top of that.
His play that season made it seem as though the roller coaster he had been on the previous three campaigns was behind him. But then, 2021 happened.
While Mayfield looked sharp despite a loss in Week 1, he was injured in Week 2 and never looked the same. Cleveland limped to an 8-9 finish but he was just 6-9 overall. On top of that, the team had to deal with a rift between him and Odell Beckham, Jr. and while they sided with Mayfield, the fact that OBJ excelled with the Rams and still has the vocal support of the locker room puts that future faith in jeopardy.
If the front office does decide they need to get better, they will turn over every stone. They already started to speak with incoming rookies, taking some time with Kenny Pickett from Pitt, but could also look at free agency as well as veteran options via trade.
Carson Wentz suddenly being available could tempt the Browns since he has shown he’s capable of finding success in this league. On top of that, there are some coaching ties as Kevin Stefanski has worked with John DeFilippo who was the quarterback coach for Wentz back in 2017.
It might not be the first choice, but this spot could be good for the player and team.
Carson Wentz landing spot No. 2: Carolina Panthers
While Carson Wentz is on the hot seat with the Colts, so too is Matt Rhule with the Carolina Panthers. In search of a new head coach in 2020, the Panthers foolishly got into a bidding war with the New York Giants for Rhule’s services.
What made it foolish? Simple — look at New York’s track record with head coaches following the departure of Tom Coughlin. They have struggled mightily to land a winning coach and if they wanted someone as bad as they wanted Rhule, it would have probably been wise to look elsewhere.
They didn’t though, and now they have a record of 10-23 in Rhule’s first two seasons to try and figure out. Sure, guys such as Zac Taylor shook off a terrible two-season start to make it to the Super Bowl but Carolina doesn’t have a Joe Burrow, Ja’Marr Chase, or Evan McPherson (what? Kickers are cool now thanks to him).
Still, Rhule can convince Carolina to give him another shot beyond 2022 if he starts to win games — and adding a new quarterback will be vital to making that happen. Last season, both Sam Darnold and Cam Newton struggled and proved they’re not the guys to lead this team. Perhaps Rhule tries making another move this season by bringing in Wentz, who could end up helping them finally win more than five games.
Carson Wentz landing spot No. 1: Pittsburgh Steelers
For years, the Pittsburgh Steelers haven’t even had to think about the quarterback position. Ben Roethlisberger was added with their first-round pick in the 2004 NFL Draft and started as a rookie. He remained the starter until this past season which ended following an unexpected playoff appearance.
With Big Ben gone, the Steelers now have to try and make a decision. They do have Mason Rudolph who has been grooming behind Roethlisberger but the jury is still out on him. He has put up decent numbers but he hasn’t really taken off when given a shot.
Sure, the same can be said about Carson Wentz overall but he has still had some success. He’s also got some of the same qualities of a younger Big Ben which includes a strong arm, some mobility, and a bit of improvisational skills.
Of course, this isn’t to say he’s on the same level as Roethlisberger in his prime but it’s also fair to say he could be an upgrade over what Big Ben was able to gove them this past season ‚— which was still enough for them to make it to the postseason.
Pittsburgh could end up rolling with Rudolph but considering how tough the AFC North suddenly is, it might be a better idea for them to take a flier on Wentz and see if he can prove to be a better option.