The start of the 2022 offseason saw the Washington Commanders make a trade for quarterback Carson Wentz.
Wentz is seen by some teams as having high value because of his one playoff season with the Philadelphia Eagles.
However, taking a team to the playoffs one time doesn’t make you a special quarterback.
Yet, the Commanders hope he can take them to the playoffs in 2022.
That’s a burden on the shoulders of a quarterback known for his injury history.
Being able to play out an NFL season has become a selling point with teams that have traded him.
One team bets he can play the season, while the other bet on him missing a certain amount of snaps.
Can The Commanders’ Front Five Protect Wentz?
With his injury history, the Commanders will need to protect him in the pocket.
However, protecting the quarterback doesn’t go well during their first game of the season.
Just ask Ryan Fitzpatrick, who suffered a season-ending hip injury in his first game with the team in 2021.
QB Ryan Fitzpatrick (hip) placed on Injured Reserve. (via @RapSheet) pic.twitter.com/9bNn6X3Wsd
— NFL (@NFL) September 13, 2021
While the team improved in 2021 with protecting their quarterback, that first game was costly.
For 2022, the Commanders will be without their best lineman, Brandon Scherff.
That’s not encouraging for the Commanders.
If they want to use Wentz to make the playoffs, they need the best offensive line the team can buy.
In Washington, that isn’t the case.
Can They Get Wentz Some Weapons?
If they can’t protect Wentz, he will need to get rid of the ball fast.
A talented wide receiver can help him with making good, fast passes when facing pressure.
The receiver that the Commanders might draft to help him is Jahan Dotson.
Dotson is a receiver with good acceleration and route-running skills.
However, to reach the playoffs, the team needs a veteran to pair up with Wentz.
Currently, they don’t have that veteran receiver in Washington.
Former Indianapolis Colts teammate T. Y. Hilton is still available for the Commanders to get for Wentz.
Hilton has spoken highly of him before.
T.Y. Hilton on NFLN talking Wentz: "I loved him. … was a leader for us. He stepped up big in the games we needed him. There were some games, you know, it wasn't good… I felt like he did a pretty good job under the circumstances. … Whenever he got his chance, he made plays."
— Ben Standig (@BenStandig) March 14, 2022
Giving him a familiar face in Washington might help with his chances of getting them to the playoffs.
The NFC East Might Give Wentz And The Commanders Hope
There’s been years where the NFC East was the laughingstock of the NFL.
Washington made the playoffs in 2020 with a losing record.
That should tell you how bad the teams in NFC East are for some years.
However, 2022 might be different for the NFC East.
The Eagles have Jalen Hurts, Dak Prescott is with the Dallas Cowboys, and the New York Giants kept Daniel Jones.
With a healthy Prescott, the Cowboys looked better in 2021.
However, if he gets injured like he did in 2020, the Commanders have a chance in 2022.
Hurts isn’t that much of a threat when going against Washington and Jones has been regressing each year.
So the makeup of the NFC East gives Wentz and the Commanders a little hope for a playoff run.
However, that run goes right through Dallas for the Commanders.
If they can beat the defending NFC East champions, they have a chance of going to the playoffs in 2022.
