It appears that quarterback Carson Wentz‘s days in Indianapolis could be over.
After the disappointing loss to the Jacksonville Jaguars which cost the Colts a playoff berth, Wentz could be moving on to a different NFL team.
The 2022 offseason is shaping up to be a bizarre quarterback shuffle, and Wentz could be one piece of it.
The fact is several teams need a quarterback, and Wentz could just fit the bill.
The three ideal teams that could vie for Wentz would send him back to the East Coast.
They are as follows:
1. Washington Commanders
The Commanders have a new name but the same problem.
That is inconsistency at the quarterback position.
It has been a problem for years.
Last season, the Commanders signed Ryan Fitzpatrick and hoped that his veteran leadership could carry the team to the playoffs.
He did not even make it through Week 1 before suffering a season-ending injury.
Taylor Heinicke is a fan favorite, but it is not clear if he is the long-term solution.
The Washington Commanders would have interest in a potential Carson Wentz trade, per @john_keim.
Is Washington willing to swap No. 73 overall for Wentz if Indy eats some salary? pic.twitter.com/5FyERd6eo0
— Locked On Colts Podcast (@LockedOnColts) February 23, 2022
2. Pittsburgh Steelers
With Ben Roethlisberger retired, Mason Rudolph and Dwayne Haskins can vie for the QB1 job.
The Steelers have already committed to Rudolph, but it is only February.
In the offseason, things could change.
Wentz has been inconsistent, but he has the experience and led that Eagles team toward the playoffs in an MVP-type season in 2017 before getting injured and being replaced by the Nick Foles show.
Mike Tomlin may prefer Wentz over a potential draft pick that could take years to develop.
It depends on how urgently the Steelers want to win if they pursue a veteran player like Wentz or opt for a draft pick.
Talking with some .@steelers executives they would be VERY OPEN to bringing @cj_wentz in as the Steelers QB if he is released by the @Colts! #ForTheShoe #Steelers #NFL
— Dan Sileo (@DanSileoShow) February 22, 2022
3. Tampa Bay Buccaneers
Tom Brady has retired.
Bruce Arians must figure out what the Bucs offense looks like post-Brady.
That is a tall order, but the Bucs have personnel in place to help whoever follows in Brady’s footsteps.
Byron Leftwich is a quarterback guru so his collaboration with Wentz could be just what the doctor ordered for Wentz’s career which is sputtering.
Where do you think Carson Wentz will be playing next year??? #NFL #ForTheShoe
Indianapolis Colts +150
Pittsburgh Steelers +280
Washington Commanders +400
Tampa Bay Buccaneers +500
Denver Broncos +550
Cleveland Browns +700 pic.twitter.com/bWh9uziyZt— Lineups (@lineups) February 17, 2022
Conclusion
There is still a school of thought that has Carson Wentz staying in Indianapolis.
Working with Coach Frank Reich was supposed to be the Indianapolis revival of Wentz’s Philadelphia 2017 success since Reich was the Eagles offensive coordinator.
Maybe one season is not enough time to allow Wentz to grow into his role with the Colts.
While it is true that Matthew Stafford was able to adjust to his new team and win a Super Bowl in one season as a Los Angeles Ram, that is not the norm.
All this means is that Wentz’s future is even more up in the air than it was in the 2021 offseason when Reich was clamoring to get Wentz.
He could stay or go so we will have to stay tuned to see how things turn out in the next couple of months.
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