The never-ending saga of Carson Wentz has torn through three different franchises, with two head coaches getting fired in the aftermath. Now it appears as if the one-time franchise quarterback for the Philadelphia Eagles may be ready to hit the reset button and join a new team.
Wentz reflected on his 2022 campaign with the Washington Commanders in an Instagram post saying: “Year 7 was an adventure and didn’t end the way we all wanted. Yet, I’m grateful for another year to play this game and more importantly — grateful for the people I got to work with all year.”
It seemed heartfelt. It seemed genuine. It seemed like a promise to do better. However, there was a buzz from fans about his word choice in the second part of the message where he talked about building relationships that will last a lifetime, adding that he would cherish all the “memories, fun, laughs, and highs & lows.” The consensus was that Wentz was essentially bidding farewell to Washington. And, more bluntly, to the NFL.
Commanders GM Closes Door on Wentz’s Return
Commanders general manager Martin Mayhew seemed to confirm that Wentz wasn’t a part of the franchise’s future. He didn’t come right out and say it, but it was easy to read between the lines. Mayhew told reporters he wasn’t going to rule out signing a veteran quarterback, although he never mentioned the one currently under contract. Wentz’s name never left his lips.
“Well, you pretty much have to enter every season and look at the entire landscape of what’s available and I thought we did a really good job of that last year,” Mayhew said, via Commanders Wire. “We will do the same thing this year. We’re not gonna rule out acquiring a vet. We’ll go through the entire landscape of who’s available.”
Wentz had to know the writing was on the wall. Commanders head coach Ron Rivera benched him twice this season for poor performance, turning the keys over to Taylor Heinicke midseason before handing them to rookie Sam Howell in Week 18. Howell will be the early favorite to win the starting job heading into training camp. Heinicke is a free agent.
Asked about the franchise’s plan at QB, and whether Carson Wentz will be with the team next year, Commanders GM Martin Mayhew said “We’re currently working through all that.”
Rivera’s job appears safe for at least one more season after the Commanders fired offensive coordinator Scott Turner. He’ll be the scapegoat for Wentz’s surprise promotion back to starter in Week 17. He chucked 3 interceptions during a 24-10 loss to Cleveland in what was the worst outing of his professional career. Adding insult to injury, Washington was clinging to a playoff berth by a thread at the time.
Carson Wentz’s ‘Last Opportunity,’ Says Troy Aikman
ESPN broadcaster Troy Aikman sent a blunt message to Wentz back in May when he said the Washington job was Wentz’s “last opportunity.”
After flaming out in Philadelphia and Indianapolis — Wentz was traded twice in a one-year span, or 13 months to be exact — it was a make-or-break year for Wentz. He broke, literally if you factor in the broken ring finger that caused him to miss a slew of games in 2022. Honestly, Wentz seems bound to be a backup quarterback (at best) moving forward.