Carson Wentz

Carson Wentz's time with the Indianapolis Colts lasted one season.

Indianapolis is reportedly trading the quarterback to the Washington Commanders in exchange for multiple draft picks, according to ESPN's Adam Schefter. 

Schefter reported Thursday that Washington will also receive a 2022 7th-round pick.

The Commanders are also "paying the full $28 million" due to Wentz this year, "which includes a $5 million roster bonus due next week," per Schefter.

The Colts gave up a 2021 third-round pick and what ended up being a 2022 first-round selection to acquire Wentz from the Philadelphia Eagles prior to the 2021 campaign. However, rumors about his uncertain future with the team started shortly after he was unable to lead them to the playoffs in his first year in the AFC.

In February, ESPN's Chris Mortensen (h/t Ari Meirov of Pro Football Focus) reported the 29-year-old's future with the Colts was "bleak," with some believing he will "probably" be either traded or released prior to March 19.

That date was significant because it is when his $15 million in base salary would be guaranteed.

However, Mike Sando of The Athletic reported around the same time that the Colts were "more likely to leverage Wentz's poor performance in 2021 to renegotiate his contract rather than cut him outright" in part because those around the league were unsure of his trade value.

There was a time when anyone trading Wentz would have been a surprise. The No. 2 overall pick of the 2016 NFL draft was an MVP candidate during his second season. That campaign ended when he tore his ACL, but the Eagles still won the Super Bowl with Nick Foles under center the rest of the way.

While Wentz has played well at times since then—especially in 2019—he has struggled to fully regain the form he showed prior to the injury.

He took a step back in 2020 when he threw for 16 touchdowns and 15 interceptions in 12 games in his final year in Philadelphia, but it was fair for Colts fans to be optimistic about pairing Wentz with head coach Frank Reich, who was the his offensive coordinator when he was at his best on the Eagles.

Wentz's final numbers in 2021 were far from terrible. He completed 62.4 percent of his passes for 3,563 yards, 27 touchdowns and seven interceptions. However, he and the team struggled down the stretch.

In fact, the North Dakota State product threw for more than 225 yards only once in the final eight games. He also had 10 touchdown throws during that stretch, three of which came in one game.

It capped off a roller-coaster season for the Colts, who started 1-4, got to 9-6 and appeared primed for a playoff run, and then lost the final two games to miss the postseason. The final loss was against the lowly Jacksonville Jaguars, as Wentz threw a pick and lost a fumble while leading the offense to score only 11 points.

His mediocre play at the end of the year undercut a solid defense and dominant running back Jonathan Taylor, and the Colts ultimately elected to move in a different direction.

Washington can only hope Wentz rediscovers the form that once had him in MVP discussions.

Former Philadelphia Eagles quarterback Carson Wentz reportedly "voiced his displeasure" with the team's success after he suffered a torn ACL late in the 2017 NFL season.

Jeff McLane of the Philadelphia Inquirer reported Wednesday an unnamed teammate "immediately confronted" Wentz, who's now with the Indianapolis Colts, about his comments after he lamented the Eagles' playoff run to other injured players before their victory in Super Bowl LII behind backup quarterback Nick Foles.

Wentz was enjoying a terrific season before the knee injury. He'd thrown 33 touchdowns and just seven interceptions across 13 appearances while guiding Philly to an 11-2 record.

The offense continued to thrive under Foles, who posted a 6-1 touchdown-to-interception ratio while throwing for 971 yards in three postseason wins, which resulted in the franchise's first Super Bowl title. The fact that the offense didn't miss a beat without him put a damper on Wentz's breakout season, though.

His response to the Eagles' success "revealed character defects and affected him in certain corners of the locker room," while also raising questions within the team's front office about whether it "didn't place enough emphasis on questionable character traits" before selecting him with the No. 2 pick in the 2016 draft, per McLane.

The previously unreported concerns from Philadelphia come amid questions about whether the Colts are set to move on from the 29-year-old North Dakota State product despite strong numbers on the surface.

Wentz completed 62.4 percent of his throws for 3,563 yards with 27 touchdowns and seven picks while playing all 17 games in 2021, his first season with Indy.

The Colts missed the playoffs with a 9-8 record, however, and head coach Frank Reich wouldn't commit to the 2017 Pro Bowl selection as the team's starter for 2022.

"We've got to be better in the passing game," Reich told reporters in January. "It was definitely below our standards, and there's multiple reasons for that. We have to take ownership of that as coaches and players."

Reich previously served as Wentz's quarterbacks coach with the Eagles in 2016 and 2017.

The Colts don't have another proven signal-caller on their roster—Sam Ehlinger and James Morgan are the others under contract for 2022—so any separation likely won't occur until the team can find a replacement via free agency, trade or the draft.

Meanwhile, the Eagles moved forward with 2020 second-round pick Jalen Hurts as their starting quarterback last year, which led to Wentz's departure.

The Indianapolis Colts are reportedly searching for an upgrade over Carson Wentz at quarterback ahead of the new league year March 16.

Ian Rapoport of NFL Network reported on where things stand with the Colts during an appearance on The Pat McAfee Show on Friday:

Indy finds itself in a unique situation entering the offseason one year after trading its 2022 first-round pick as part of the blockbuster deal for Wentz.

The 29-year-old North Dakota State product didn't play poorly during his first year with the Colts. He tallied nearly four times as many touchdown passes (27) as interceptions (seven) and played all 17 games after some durability issues during his time with the Philadelphia Eagles.

Those numbers don't tell the entire story, however, as Wentz was backed up by the NFL's second-ranked rushing attack, led by Jonathan Taylor. That created a lot of stacked boxes and light secondaries, which helped inflate his numbers.

When the Colts needed to pass, such as in a Week 17 loss to the Jacksonville Jaguars that kept them out of the playoffs, they couldn't do it consistently. Wentz finished that contest with just 185 passing yards with one touchdown and one pick.

That's why his mediocre Pro Football Focus grade (70.9) may appear out of step with his solid raw stats.

After the season ended, Indianapolis head coach Frank Reich didn't commit to Wentz as the team's starting quarterback.

"We've got to be better in the passing game," Reich told reporters. "It was definitely below our standards, and there's multiple reasons for that. We have to take ownership of that as coaches and players."

Wentz is under contract through 2024, but the Colts can save $28.3 million against the salary cap if they trade him or $13.3 million if they release him, per Spotrac.

They probably won't go that route unless they find a clear upgrade, and that's only likely to happen via trade because it's a lackluster year for free agents and draft prospects at the position.

The Arizona Cardinals' Kyler Murray, Green Bay Packers' Aaron Rodgers and Seattle Seahawks' Russell Wilson are among the high-profile quarterbacks who've been mentioned in the rumor mill, but it's not a guarantee any of them will be traded.

NFL reporter Jordan Schultz reported earlier Friday that Colts owner Jim Irsay would "love" to make a deal for Wilson.

Any franchise-altering trade would be exceedingly difficult without a first-round pick in this year's draft, though.

While it appears the Colts will do their due diligence on another quarterback change in the coming months, it's impossible to rule out Wentz as their Week 1 starter next season.

Some of the middling quarterbacks believed to be on the trade market this offseason reportedly aren't generating a ton of interest thus far.

According to Jason La Canfora of CBS Sports, interest in Jimmy Garoppolo of the San Francisco 49ers and Carson Wentz of the Indianapolis Colts is "lukewarm at best."

La Canfora noted, however, that "rumblings" regarding Matt Ryan of the Atlanta Falcons and Kirk Cousins of the Minnesota Vikings have "picked up."

Of the aforementioned signal-callers, Garoppolo led his team on the deepest playoff run last season, but he may also be the most likely to get traded.

San Francisco selected quarterback Trey Lance with the No. 3 overall pick in the 2021 NFL draft, but it kept Garoppolo as the starter throughout the campaign.

His numbers were far from spectacular, as he completed 68.3 percent of his passes for 3,810 yards, 20 touchdowns and 12 interceptions in 15 starts, but he did lead the Niners to the playoffs.

Garoppolo also took San Francisco all the way to the NFC Championship Game before falling to the eventual Super Bowl champion Los Angeles Rams, although it can be argued that a strong defense and running game contributed to most of that success.

While the Niners have made it to a Super Bowl and two NFC title games during Garoppolo's tenure, he is an obvious trade candidate given the presence of Lance and the fact that his contract expires at the end of the 2022 season.

Even so, ESPN NFL insider Adam Schefter told Ari Meirov of Pro Football Focus on Wednesday that he doesn't believe it is a lock Garoppolo will be traded:

Wentz, Ryan and Cousins are all potential trade chips as well, although none of them have a young understudy pushing for playing time.

Indianapolis acquired Wentz in a trade with the Philadelphia Eagles last offseason in hopes of resurrecting his career, but while his numbers were far better in 2021 than they were in 2020, he struggled down the stretch and the Colts missed the playoffs following a Week 18 loss to a three-win Jacksonville Jaguars team.

Perhaps the fact that Wentz completed 62.4 percent of his attempts for 3,563 yards, 27 touchdowns and seven interceptions could entice some team to take a chance on him, but after watching him squander the presence of an elite running back in Jonathan Taylor and a talented defense, teams may be more interested in other options.

Ryan and Cousins may be a bit less likely to move than Garoppolo or Wentz given how established they are in their current locales.

The 36-year-old Ryan is the greatest quarterback in Falcons history and a potential future Hall of Famer. He has spent his entire 14-year NFL career in Atlanta and has four Pro Bowl nods, one NFL MVP award and one Super Bowl appearance to his credit.

Matty Ice's numbers weren't great in 2021, as he completed 67 percent of his passes for 3,968 yards, 20 touchdowns and 12 interceptions, marking his third straight year with less than 30 touchdown tosses.

It should be noted, though, that Ryan was without longtime No. 1 wideout Julio Jones, who was traded to the Tennessee Titans, plus his other favorite target in Calvin Ridley missed most of the season.

Ryan is still signed through 2023, and since the 2022 NFL draft seems weak in terms of the quarterback position, the Falcons may not be too keen on moving on from him.

Of the signal-callers mentioned by La Canfora, Cousins is the only one who reached the Pro Bowl last season.

The 33-year-old veteran completed 66.3 percent of his passes for 4,221 yards, 33 touchdowns and seven interceptions, and he continued to show a strong rapport with wide receivers Justin Jefferson and Adam Thielen.

Minnesota missed the playoffs for the second consecutive season, however, and the team is under new leadership with Kevin O'Connell replacing Mike Zimmer as head coach.

O'Connell is a former quarterback and an offensive coach, which could make him the perfect guy to work with Cousins, or it could possibly compel O'Connell to look for another option under center if he doesn't have chemistry with Cousins.

Cousins is a free agent at the end of 2022, which may add to the Vikings' incentive to trade him, but there may not be a clear upgrade available despite the fact that Cousins has had little playoff success during his career with just one postseason win.

While the quarterback trade market may not be booming right now, the Tampa Bay Buccaneers, New Orleans Saints, Pittsburgh Steelers, Denver Broncos, Carolina Panthers, Washington Commanders and Detroit Lions are all in need of a quarterback, which may cause things to heat up soon.

The Indianapolis Colts have a potential wild-card element that will impact the quarterback carousel if the front office decides to go in another direction at the position.

While most expect the San Francisco 49ers to trade quarterback Jimmy Garoppolo, who's preparing for a move, the Colts might entertain offers for Wentz in the coming weeks.

Days after the Colts' season ended, general manager Chris Ballard didn't want to comment on Wentz's future with the team, which led to leaguewide speculation.

Last offseason, Indianapolis acquired Wentz from the Philadelphia Eagles for a third-rounder and a conditional 2022 second-round pick that became a first-rounder once Wentz played 75 percent of the snaps. In Week 18 against the Jacksonville Jaguars, he had a poor performance, throwing for 185 yards, a touchdown and an interception with a 58.6 percent completion rate. He also gave away a possession on a fumble. The Colts lost the game, and their playoff hopes went down the drain. 

Even though Wentz doesn't deserve all the blame, that's how it works for quarterbacks in crucial spots. They're praised in victory and take the brunt of responsibility in defeat. As a result, the Colts may have seen enough to move on from the 29-year-old signal-caller.

According to ESPN's Chris Mortensen via Pro Football Talk's Michael David Smith, the Colts will "probably" trade or release Wentz by March 18. 

Despite Wentz's awful finish to the 2021 season, he had a decent year, throwing for 3,563 yards, 27 touchdowns (10th-most leaguewide) and seven interceptions with a 62.4 percent completion rate. He tied for ninth in QBR (54.7).

Taking a closer look at the Colts offense, Wentz posted solid passing numbers with just one reliable pass-catcher in Michael Pittman Jr., who registered 88 receptions for 1,082 yards and six touchdowns. Aside from the second-year wideout, no other player on the roster topped 40 receptions or 384 receiving yards.

Sure, Wentz made costly mistakes (interceptions) that factored into losses to the Tennessee Titans (Week 8) and Tampa Bay Buccaneers (Week 12), and he should've had a better showing against the lowly Jaguars, but the athletic big-armed quarterback would still have solid value on the trade or free-agent market. 

Nate Atkins of the Indianapolis Star suggests that the Colts can make a trade more palatable for suitors if they restructure Wentz's deal, but he could have some say about his next career stop. 

The Colts won't be able to flip Wentz for a first-round pick, but they can likely command a third-rounder, and three teams should inquire about him at that price.

The Denver Broncos should take an aggressive approach in a plan to acquire Wentz. They have a projected $38.1 million in cap space, per Over the Cap, so they wouldn't have an issue absorbing his contract.  

This past season, the Broncos gave up the third-fewest points and ranked eighth in yards allowed. They'll have a quality core of players on the defensive side of the ball next season in defensive tackle Shelby Harris, defensive end Dre'Mont Jones, edge-rusher Bradley Chubb, cornerback Pat Surtain II and safety Justin Simmons.  

Even more appealing to Wentz, he would have a loaded pass-catching group with Courtland Sutton, Jerry Jeudy, Tim Patrick and KJ Hamler at wide receiver along with tight end Noah Fant. The Broncos can also take some pressure off of him with Javonte Williams, who racked up 903 rushing yards and four touchdowns while averaging 4.4 yards per carry in 2021.

Along with the Broncos, the new-look Washington Commanders should make a call for Wentz. According to the MMQB's Albert Breer, the NFC East club is "preparing to take a big swing" for a quarterback.

With $31.9 million in projected cap space, the Commanders have Taylor Heinicke as the only signal-caller under team control in 2022. He threw for 3,419 yards, 20 touchdowns and 15 interceptions in 2021. Washington can move him into a backup role behind Wentz, who's a clear upgrade. 

Nevertheless, the Commanders may have to convince Wentz that they'll add another playmaker on offense. 

Aside from wideout Terry McLaurin, the club didn't see much production out of its pass-catchers. With that said, if wide receiver Curtis Samuel bounces back from an injury-riddled 2021 campaign (missed 12 contests), he could add a spark to the short passing attack. On the flip side, Wentz would have a dual-threat running back in Antonio Gibson, who's logged 2,373 yards and 21 touchdowns from scrimmage in his first two seasons.

If head coach Ron Rivera and defensive coordinator Jack Del Rio can help a talented defense that features Chase Young, Montez Sweat, Jonathan Allen and Daron Payne find its 2020 form when the unit ranked top five in points and yards allowed, the Commanders would have some roster balance with Wentz's playmaking ability on offense.

Unlike the Broncos and Commanders, the Tampa Bay Buccaneers have limited cap flexibility with a projected $3.1 million in cap space in large part because of the leftover cost from (now-retired) Tom Brady's contract.

However, with some simple restructures, the Buccaneers can clear up to $67.8 million in cap space, which would give them more than enough wiggle room to acquire Wentz.

Per NFL Network's James Palmer, the Buccaneers believe they're still in a win-now window and have done extensive work on quarterbacks Deshaun Watson and Russell Wilson.

If available, both quarterbacks would have a big market. Watson's future remains unclear because of 22 civil lawsuits and 10 criminal complaints filed by women alleging sexual assault and misconduct.

Secondly, according to NFL Network's Mike Garafolo, Wilson "expects" to be in Seattle.

While the Buccaneers may aim high, Wentz seems like a more realistic target at great value if he agrees to rework his deal to facilitate a trade. His tendency to push the ball downfield fits head coach Bruce Arians' deep-rooted aggressive coaching style.

The Buccaneers could lose several key offensive players in free agency, including running backs Leonard Fournette and Ronald Jones II, wideout Chris Godwin, tight ends Rob Gronkowski and O.J. Howard, guard Alex Cappa and center Ryan Jensen, but four-time Pro Bowl wideout Mike Evans remains under team control through the 2023 campaign.

Furthermore, if the front office chooses to restructure deals to clear cap space in win-now mode, Tampa Bay may be able to convince some of its impending free agents to re-sign on short-term deals. The club can also attempt to retain cornerback Carlton Davis, edge-rusher Jason Pierre-Paul and defensive tackle Ndamukong Suh, who had key roles in last year's fifth-ranked scoring defense.

In a quarterback-driven league, the Colts will have options if they place Wentz on the trade block.

In addition to the three teams listed, other quarterback-needy teams such as the Carolina Panthers, New Orleans Saints and Pittsburgh Steelers may do their due diligence on a player with a Pro Bowl season on his resume and a decent touchdown-to-interception ratio (140 to 57).  

If not in Indianapolis, Wentz will have a third opportunity to reinvent himself as a starter elsewhere.

Maurice Moton covers the NFL for Bleacher Report. You can follow him on Twitter @MoeMoton. 

The Indianapolis Colts still don't know whether Carson Wentz will be their long-term answer under center after his disappointing 2021 season.

"The word I got after the season was there was a 50-50 chance Wentz would be back," Zak Keefer of The Athletic reported. "And with a little over a month until the deadline, the Colts haven’t yet made their decision."

The March 18 "deadline" is when Wentz will earn a $5 million roster bonus for the 2022 season, per Spotrac. A release this offseason would leave the Colts with a $15 million dead cap hit, but there would be no cap penalty if he is moved after 2022.

The Colts acquired Wentz last year in a trade with the Philadelphia Eagles. They ultimately gave up a 2021 third-round pick and a 2022 first-round pick based on the quarterback's playing time. 

The 29-year-old did bounce back from his brutal 2020 campaign with the Eagles, finishing last year with 3,563 passing yards, 27 touchdowns and only seven interceptions in 17 starts. However, the Colts went 9-8 and missed the playoffs.

They would have clinched a postseason berth with a win over the lowly Jacksonville Jaguars in Week 18, but Wentz finished with only 185 passing yards, one touchdown and one interception in the 26-11 upset loss.

ESPN's Chris Mortensen reported Sunday that Wentz's future with the team is now "bleak" and he will "probably" be traded or released (h/t Ari Meirov of Pro Football Focus).

The Colts have the pieces in place to compete right away with an upgrade at quarterback. They had the No. 9 scoring defense in the NFL last year, while rushing champ Jonathan Taylor mostly carried the offense down the stretch.

Indianapolis isn't guaranteed to find a better option under center than Wentz. The Colts also have to consider the cost of last year's trade and the dead cap hit that they'd be left with after releasing him.

That leaves the front office with a difficult decision to make heading into the new league year.    

Rumors of Carson Wentz's impending departure from Indianapolis may be exaggerated.

Mike Sando of The Athletic reported the Colts are more likely to leverage Wentz's poor performance in 2021 to renegotiate his contract rather than cut him outright. The possibility of a trade remains, but "execs aren’t sure" what his value is on the market at this point.

The Colts traded a 2021 third-round pick and what wound up being a 2022 first-round pick for Wentz in a gamble that blew up in their face.

On Sunday, ESPN's Chris Mortensen described Wentz's future in Indianapolis as "bleak," adding that the Colts would likely trade or release him this offseason. If they don't move on from Wentz by March 18, an additional $12 million of his contract guarantees for next season. He is already on the books for a guaranteed $15 million.

It's possible Indianapolis comes to the bargaining table and asks Wentz to take a pay cut for the 2022 season. The two sides could agree to wipe out the additional guarantees for this season and have Wentz play under a $15 million base salary in 2022, with his due bonuses instead being spread out later over the course of a renegotiated contract. That would lower Wentz's cap number for next season while providing the team additional flexibility to decide whether he's the long-term option under center.

Trading Wentz this offseason would require taking back a significant discount in terms of draft assets. There's something to be said for cutting your losses, but the Colts don't have an obvious answer ready to replace him.

If they could find a trade for a difference-making veteran, it would be another story. But the Wentz trade already robbed them of their first-round pick this year, leaving them with little option but to bring him back in 2022—hopefully at a reduced rate.

Carson Wentz's tenure as starting quarterback of the Indianapolis Colts reportedly may be set to come to an end after just one season.

According to ESPN's Chris Mortensen (h/t Ari Meirov of Pro Football Focus), the Colts will "probably" trade or release Wentz before March 19, when his $15 million base salary becomes fully guaranteed.

Mortensen added that Wentz's future in Indianapolis looks "bleak."

While Wentz didn't have a terrible statistical season in 2021, the campaign ended in disappointment for the Colts, as they lost their final two games of the season, finished 9-8 and missed the playoffs.

If the Colts do move on from Wentz, the final nail in his coffin may have been a 26-11 Week 18 loss to the Jacksonville Jaguars. All the Colts needed to do in order to make the playoffs was beat a Jags team that went 3-14, but Wentz and Co. couldn't get it done.

Wentz was originally the No. 2 overall pick in the 2016 NFL draft by the Philadelphia Eagles, and early in his career, it looked like he was destined for superstardom.

In 2017, Wentz was the front-runner for the NFL MVP Award before tearing his ACL late in the season. Philly still won the Super Bowl without Wentz that year, as Nick Foles filled in and led the Eagles to a championship.

Wentz was never the same player after that injury, and things truly came crashing down in 2020.

In 12 starts that season, Wentz went 3-8-1 and completed 57.4 percent of his passes for 2,620 yards, 16 touchdowns and an NFL-high 15 interceptions.

Wentz lost his starting job to then-rookie Jalen Hurts, and the Eagles decided to move on from Wentz during the offseason, trading him to Indy for a 2021 third-round pick and 2022 first-round pick.

There was some hope that Wentz's career could be resurrected by reuniting him with Colts head coach Frank Reich, who was Wentz's offensive coordinator in Philadelphia when he enjoyed his greatest success.

Wentz largely leaned on superstar running back Jonathan Taylor and a strong defense, and things looked good for a while, as the Colts were 9-6 and in ideal position to make the playoffs.

Back-to-back losses to the Las Vegas Raiders and Jaguars ruined their playoff hopes, though, and Wentz has been viewed as one of the biggest scapegoats for the team's shortcomings.

Overall, Wentz did have a much better season in 2021 than he did 2020, completing 62.4 percent of his passes for 3,563 yards, 27 touchdowns and just seven interceptions.

Wentz simply wasn't good enough late in the season, though, throwing just 10 touchdown passes in the team's final eight games and throwing for more than 225 yards in a game just once during that stretch.

The Colts won a lot of games by running the football and playing strong defense, but the NFL is still a quarterback-driven league, and Wentz didn't perform at a high enough level.

There are several quarterback-needy teams in search of an answer at the position this offseason, however, and since a team can cut him after the 2022 campaign while incurring no dead cap space, per Spotrac, it is possible another team will take a chance on him if the Colts decide to move on.