Carson Wentz has been traded again — the Indianapolis Colts trading the embattled quarterback to the Washington Commanders for a second-round pick in 2022 and third-round picks in 2022 and 2023, as first reported by ESPN’s Adam Schefter.
This is the second time in as many years that the 29-year-old, who will receive another opportunity to develop into the franchise quarterback that many perceived him to be when he was drafted second overall by the Philadelphia Eagles in 2016.
Now, he’s back in the NFC East where he’ll face his former team twice per year; providing a legitimate option at the QB position for a Commanders team that had three different leading passers in the last four seasons following the departure of Kirk Cousins.
Washington will pay the Wentz the entirety of the $28 million owed for the 2022 season, including a $5 million roster bonus due next week.
Injuries derailed the hope that Wentz could be the long-term No. 1 man under center in Philadelphia, which cut short a 2017 season that seemed destined to finish with an NFL MVP award until he tore his ACL and LCL after just 13 games.
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He came back for the first 11 games of the 2018 season before suffering a stress fracture in his lower back, opening the door for backup Nick Foles to lead the Eagles to their first-ever Super Bowl title in an upset victory over the New England Patriots.
Wentz played a full regular season in 2019 and led the Eagles to the playoffs, but suffered a concussion in the Divisional Round loss to the Seattle Seahawks.
An inability to stay on the field forced the Eagles to draft Jalen Hurts in the second round of the 2020 draft, and he became the starter for the final four games of the regular season after Wentz struggled mightily with a career-worst 57.4% completion rating with 2,620 yards, 16 touchdowns, and a league-worst 15 interceptions.
The decision to bench Wentz destroyed the relationship between him and the Eagles, coaxing a trade to the Colts — head coached by his former offensive coordinator in Philadelphia, Frank Reich — for a 2021 third-round pick and a conditional 2022 pick.
In 17 games last season with Indianapolis, Wentz posted an underwhelming 3,563 yards on 62.4% passing with 27 yards and seven interceptions.
When they needed him most during a Week 17 matchup against the woeful Jacksonville Jaguars to clinch a spot in the playoffs, Wentz came up short, passing for just 185 yards, one touchdown, and one interception in a shocking loss that ended their season.
