Is the Carson Wentz era with the Indianapolis Colts over after just one season?
The Colts traded for Wentz in 2021, and the quarterback and his former Philadelphia Eagles offensive coordinator Frank Reich reunited in Indy with Reich as the head coach.
The Wentz-Colts partnership was fraught with issues from the beginning including preseason injuries, COVID-19, and a disappointing loss to the Jacksonville Jaguars to end the season without a playoff berth.
This is one of many quarterback issues that could fester now that the offseason is officially underway.
Check out my TikTok talking about what could be an unprecedented movement of starting quarterbacks to different teams before the 2022 season begins.
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Wentz Was A Costly Trade For The Colts
The Colts need to decide in the next month before they owe Wentz his 2022 salary.
In addition to the money paid out to Wentz, the Colts gave the Eagles a third-round pick in last year’s draft, and by virtue of the amount of playing time Wentz had with the Colts in 2021, a 2022 first-round draft pick also will go to the Eagles this year.
It is a high price point that so far has yielded major disappointment.
Carson Wentz will 'probably' be cut or traded before March 19 when his $15 million base salary becomes fully guaranteed, per @mortreport pic.twitter.com/yDDA3iIS76
— B/R Gridiron (@brgridiron) February 13, 2022
Week 18 Jacksonville Loss May Have Sealed His Fate
The 9-7 Colts headed to Jacksonville in Week 18 to take on the 2-14 Jaguars.
The Colts needed to win or tie to get into the playoffs.
They fell to the Jaguars by a score of 26-11.
Wentz finished with a disappointing 17 for 29 with 185 yards, 1 touchdown, and 1 interception.
He was sacked 6 times and fumbled the ball once.
His bad performance could not have come at a worse time.
Carson Wentz posted a 4.4 QBR in #Colts loss vs. Jaguars.
That’s the worst for an Indy starting QB since Kerry Collins in the 2011 season opener (1.8) 😳 pic.twitter.com/JcIbqpBs3j
— Locked On Colts Podcast (@LockedOnColts) January 10, 2022
Even Coach Frank Reich had to admit the obvious deficiency in the Colts’ offense after the Jags’ loss.
“In the pass game, we just haven’t been good enough. We weren’t good enough the second half of the year.”
Frank Reich: “In the passing game, we just haven’t been good enough, and that does for most of the second half of the year.”
— Zak Keefer (@zkeefer) January 9, 2022
Who Could Replace Wentz?
The Colts could either try to get in the quarterback carousel and pick up an elite quarterback leaving another team.
Or they could give their 2021 draft pick Sam Ehlinger a chance as the starter.
He was the No. 218 pick in the draft out of Texas, and the Colts were ready to lean on him if Wentz’s injuries persisted and caused him to miss time.
Conclusion
The Colts have a legacy of stellar franchise quarterbacks dating back to their Baltimore days with Johnny Unitas and in recent years, Peyton Manning and Andrew Luck.
Lots of questions for the #Colts heading into this offseason. But, for the fifth year in a row, it's all going to start with the quarterback.
— George Bremer (@gmbremer) January 9, 2022
They have not yet found the heir apparent to Luck who retired abruptly in 2019.
While the Rams successfully traded draft picks and quarterbacks with the Lions in 2021 and ended up Super Bowl Champions with Matthew Stafford under center, finding a starting quarterback who can quickly and successfully carry another team is not easy to do as the Colts are finding out the hard way with the Wentz deal.
