Carson Wentz: Looking for a resurgence with the Commanders

The 2022 NFL season will be the third in succession in which quarterback Carson Wentz will be suiting up with a new team.

When you look at everything that has transpired for the former #2 overall pick over the past few years, it’s easy to see why he has a polarizing effect on fans and critics, having showcased himself in both the very best and sometimes the very worst light.

It seems like a lifetime ago that the 29-year-old North Carolina native was a projected regular-season MVP candidate in 2017 with the Philadelphia Eagles, throwing for 1,362 yards, 10 touchdowns and only three interceptions.

His career took a turn in week 14 that year when he tore his ACL in a 43-35 victory versus the Los Angeles Rams, putting him on the sidelines for the rest of that season.

Even with a Super Bowl ring that year, Wentz is hardly talked about years later for what he did before his injury. It now seems like his name in 2017 is more of a footnote, while Nick Foles and the Philly Special grabbed the headlines following that triumph against the New England Patriots.

Wentz would go on to play in Philly until 2020, though he only featured in one postseason affair. He couldn’t even finish that 2019 Wild Card match against the Seattle Seahawks, leaving in the first quarter with a head injury and being ruled out after only nine snaps as his team wound up losing 17-9.

Some of those previous hits to the head might have blurred his vision in 2020 as he passed the ball to the opposition more often than not.

He was benched in December of that year in favour of Jalen Hurts. From then, it was clear that Wentz had worn out his welcome in the City of Brotherly Love.

Moving to Indy

Wentz was shipped over to the AFC on St Patrick’s Day 2021, moving to the Indianapolis Colts in exchange for a third-round selection in that year’s draft and a first-rounder in 2022. A reunion with his former offensive coordinator Frank Reich seemed like the ideal situation for Wentz to reclaim his early magic in Philadelphia.

As had been the case over the previous few years, Wentz went through some injury problems with his new team early on, hurting his foot in training camp, which required surgery. Thankfully that was not too serious, and the pivot was ready to go in their regular-season opener against the Seattle Seahawks, going 25 of 38 for 251 yards and two touchdowns in his debut, which the Colts lost 28-16.

Throughout the year, Wentz looked sharp and showed improvement, mainly in his decision making, tossing only seven interceptions, eight fewer than in his final campaign with Philadelphia. He threw for 3,563 yards and 27 touchdowns in a nine-win season while rushing for 215 yards.

Rarely do we hear anyone talk about the fact that Wentz ended the 2021 season ranked ninth in the NFL when it comes to quarterback rating at 94.6. Instead, the focus seems to be on his failure to get the Colts into the postseason. They lost their final week encounter to the last-place Jacksonville Jaguars, where a win would have booked their place in the Wild Card round.

Why did Washington want him?

Over the past few seasons, analysts and fans seem to have written off Wentz. Many believe he’s yet another NFL bust who has and never will reach his potential. Nonetheless, those who know him best still believe in the former North Dakota State QB.

On his departure from the Colts, Reich said, “I really believe he (Wentz) can be a top-10 quarterback. That’s not just a given. That has to be earned and proven, so we’re all hoping that happens for him.”

His former boss in Philly head coach Doug Pederson, now of the Jacksonville Jaguars, also praised Wentz, saying “They’re (Washington) getting a tremendous leader,”. “They’re getting a guy that’s going to lead that football team, and he’ll lead that locker room.”

Commanders head coach Ron Rivera undoubtedly did his homework on Wentz. He examined the potential risk/reward that a guy like Wentz might bring. And those words from Reich and Pederson may have played a factor in the decision to bring him to the US capital.

What can Wentz achieve

There is a belief that while Wentz has only shown flashes of brilliance since tearing his ACL in the Super Bowl-winning season with the Eagles, a stronger supporting cast might help him be a success in Washington.

In 2019, Wentz made NFL history, becoming the first player to throw for over 4,000 yards despite not having a single pass catcher with more than 500 yards receiving.

Last year, the Colts had one receiver with over 1,000 yards in Michael Pittman Jr. (1,082). After that, other than help on the ground with Jonathan Taylor, Wentz did not get a lot of support. His second-best receiver Zach Pascal ended the season with 384 yards from 38 catches.

If you only look at last season’s statistics, it would seem as though Wentz is walking into a similar situation in 2022 as he did a year ago. Washington possesses a solid ground game through Antonio Gibson, and one standout receiver in Terry McLaurin. Their next highest receiver for Washington in 2021 was running back J.D. McKissic, with 397 yards. It’s easy to see how most Wentz doubters would believe that he is stepping into a carbon-copy situation which could yield similar results.

On the flip side, Washington have an offensive unit that can step up and make plays for the quarterback. Ron Rivera is an experienced offensive mind who has achieved success throughout his coaching career, with a knack for bringing out the best in his quarterbacks.

He did that as a coordinator for Philip Rivers with the San Diego Chargers and then with Cam Newton as head coach of the Carolina Panthers, leading them to a Super Bowl appearance. Can Rivera do it with Wentz?

Is Wentz ready to take Command?

Given all the trials and tribulations that Wentz has endured, a lot of people think that this may be his last shot to be a starter in this league. I think that McLaurin will be an established and reliable receiver for the Commanders in 2022, and Wentz will get help on the ground from Gibson, who I believe is the real deal.

My biggest concern is how well protected Wentz will be this Season, after Pro Bowl guard Brandon Scherff followed the money to Jacksonville. That’s left a Huge hole for Rivera and Washington to fill.

Wentz was sacked 32 times last year and was dropped behind the line of scrimmage on 50 occasions in his final season with Philly. With all of his injuries, he seems to have lost a step running the ball, so being able to scramble successfully and find his open receivers while being hurried, could affect his timing and QB rating this season.

Washington lost four games by a touchdown or fewer in 2021, which made the difference between them making and missing the playoffs. But with the NFC East getting stronger this offseason, it’s going to difficult for them to return to the postseason.

The Giants added Kayvon Thibodeaux and much needed O-Line protection through Evan Neal. Philly now have a substantial deep ball threat in A.J. Brown to compliment the legs of Jalen Hurts. And the Cowboys have the core of their team intact, which should still have them as the team to catch in that division.

A questionable offensive line that I believe got worse, plus a lack of depth on offense outside of a couple of weapons, might make this season another difficult one for Wentz.

I see Wentz being rushed a lot this season and opposing teams putting in double coverage on McLaurin, while the former Pro Bowl QB could suffer his share of hits. In the end, Washington will be in contention for the playoffs, and this is a make-or-break year for Wentz to show the NFL just what he can do.