The Washington Commanders called every team who might have a quarterback available this offseason as part of a wide-ranging search to find their next signal-caller. In the end, they landed one from the team arguably most anxious to move on from their current starter.
The Commanders agreed to acquire Carson Wentz from the Indianapolis Colts on Wednesday, a source with knowledge of the situation said.
The deal cannot be completed officially until next week when the league’s new calendar year begins, but Washington will reportedly send two third-round picks, swap second-round picks in this year’s draft and take on Wentz’s full contract as part of the trade.
The trade comes a day after Aaron Rodgers announced his return to the Green Bay Packers and Russell Wilson was traded to the Denver Broncos.
Wilson, in particular, had attracted Washington’s attention.
The Commanders offered three first-round picks to the Seahawks only to be rebuffed. The Seahawks preferred not to trade Wilson within the NFC, a source said, and Wilson reportedly would not waive his no-trade clause for Washington.
After striking out on Wilson, the Commanders turned their attention to Wentz — the 2016 No. 2 overall pick who wore out his welcome in Indianapolis after just one season.
The Colts went 9-8 this past season and missed the playoffs in large part because of a stunning Week 18 loss to a then-2-14 Jacksonville Jaguars.
Indianapolis would have clinched a postseason spot if it had won, but in that game, Wentz completed just 58% of his passes for 185 yards with one touchdown to one interception.
By the end of the season, Colts general manager Chris Ballard strongly signaled he was willing to move on from Wentz — despite giving the Philadelphia Eagles a first- and a third-round pick for Wentz just a year ago.
The Colts initially acquired Wentz to reunite him with coach Frank Reich — Wentz’s former offensive coordinator in Philadelphia — and surrounded him with a talented supporting cast that included the league’s leading rusher (Jonathan Taylor) and a stout offensive line.
In 2021, Wentz threw for 3,563 yards with 27 touchdowns to seven interceptions. He completed 62.4% of his passes and appeared in all 17 games.
“Ultimately, you’ve got to have a guy you believe in and you can win with,” Ballard said last week at the NFL scouting combine.
Washington coach Ron Rivera had made it clear the Commanders were searching for an upgrade over starter Taylor Heinicke, and Wentz was once regarded as one of the game’s top young passers when he was with the Eagles — even emerging as an MVP frontrunner in 2017 before tearing his ACL late in the year.
Wentz, too, appears to have a skill set that seems to be well suited for offensive coordinator Scott Turner’s system. The 29-year-old quarterback can extend plays outside the pocket with his legs and has a big arm to make throws deep down the field.
But Wentz is now five inconsistent years removed from his breakout season of 2017 — the same season that then-Kansas City Chief Alex Smith and then-Minnesota Viking Case Keenum lit up the league for their teams.
Smith and Keenum, of course, were unable to repeat the same success on their respective stops in Washington.
For Washington, acquiring Wentz comes at significant cost. While the price tag was not nearly what Washington offered for Wilson, the Commanders are taking on Wentz’s full contract — $28 million for the upcoming season.
That salary will eat into the team’s cap room, which was slated to be $33 million heading into next week’s free agency.
As part of the package, Washington agreed to swap the No. 42 overall pick in the draft for the No. 47. And, as a condition of the trade, next year’s third-round selection could actually be upgraded to a second-rounder if Wentz plays at least 70% of the snaps.
“Who did Washington think they were bidding against,” former Eagles general manager Joe Banner tweeted. “What tape did they watch? It’s literally almost 5 years (2017) since Wentz looked like he could be a quality starter, not to even mention that he can’t stay healthy for long.”
If the move does not work out, Washington can cut Wentz after this season at no cost. Though Wentz has three years left on his deal, the quarterback’s contract has no guaranteed money left beyond 2022.
The trade may not preclude Washington from drafting another signal-caller at No. 11, either. Pittsburgh’s Kenny Pickett and Liberty’s Malik Willis are seen as the top two quarterbacks in this year’s class.
But for now, Wentz lands back in the NFC East — tied to a coach who has said he expects a big leap next season. Rivera, hired prior to the 2020 season, is entering his third year at the helm of the Burgundy and Gold with a 14-19 record and one playoff appearance.
“It’s very challenging,” Rivera said earlier this month about finding a franchise quarterback. “It’s a long process, It really is. And then you’re still not guaranteed anything, that’s the truth of the matter.”
• Matthew Paras can be reached at mparas@washingtontimes.com.
Please read our comment policy before commenting.