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Commanders QB Carson Wentz 'definitely surprised' by Colts exit
After quarterback Carson Wentz underperformed in what were "win-and-we're-in" Week 17 and 18 games that the Indianapolis Colts lost to miss out on the postseason tournament, multiple individuals associated with the club all but said that Wentz's time with the organization was borrowed, at best.
Team owner Jim Irsay vowed "to do whatever it takes" to get the Colts back into the playoffs as soon as possible, and neither general manager Chris Ballard nor head coach Frank Reich committed to keeping Wentz their QB1 when given opportunities to do so in January. After the Colts agreed to trade Wentz to the Washington Commanders, reports surfaced that some within the Indianapolis franchise had been "frustrated" with the 29-year-old since even before the start of this past season.
As Pro Football Talk's Josh Alper explained, Wentz met with media members as a Commanders player for the first time Thursday and said he was "definitely surprised" he and the Colts parted ways after only a single campaign working together.
"Sometimes I wonder the same, to be honest," Wentz admitted about asking himself how his relationship with the Colts allegedly soured so quickly. "I think it was a year that had highs and lows, ups and downs. But the way we finished, the way I finished, was horrible. It was horrible. It was tough to swallow."
Per Nick Shook of the NFL's website, Wentz added:
"Anytime you're in a new place, you want it to work out. You want to be there, you want to do the best you can for that team, that organization, that fan base and God willing, it works out for a long time. It didn't. And God changes our plans. Here we are, and we're excited for it."
As for the Colts, they may be turning their eyes toward Cleveland Browns starter Baker Mayfield even if the Browns feel they want to run it back with the 2018 first-overall draft pick after missing out on Houston Texans star Deshaun Watson.
More must-reads:
- Texans' Deshaun Watson reportedly still hasn't decided between Falcons, Saints
- Jameis Winston, Colts discussing deal, but Saints still on QB's radar
- The 'Active three-TD catch NFL games' quiz
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NFL knee-jerk reactions: Super Bowl locks, QB chaos and shocking starts across the league
Two weeks into the 2025 NFL season, the takes are getting hotter than a mid-September turf field. Across the league, early results are fueling bold declarations from Yardbarker NFL writers — from crowning Super Bowl champs in Buffalo and Green Bay to demanding QB changes in Cleveland and Minnesota. NFC East DALLAS COWBOYS (1-1) | Believe it or not: The Cowboys are good | The Cowboys are not as shaky as some suspected. Through two games, QB Dak Prescott has an average QB rating of 88.8, but the Cowboys have played competitively. The Prescott-to-CeeDee Lamb connection (16 catches for 222 yards) is heating up, and the offense should be good enough to keep Dallas in the playoff mix. NEW YORK GIANTS (0-2) | Russell Wilson is the undisputed QB No. 1 | After a career-worst performance in Week 1, Wilson responded with a career-best performance by throwing for 450 yards (264 yards coming on deep passes) and throwing for three touchdowns in a Week 2 loss to Dallas. Wilson tied for the fourth-highest passing yards in a game in team history. Jaxson Dart, who? PHILADELPHIA EAGLES (2-0) | Who needs a passing attack? | The reigning Super Bowl champs haven’t looked flashy, but they’ve controlled both games with a combined time of possession of 67 minutes, 26 seconds. Jalen Hurts hasn’t thrown for a touchdown, but he has rushed for three. The Eagles’ relentless ground game is working, and it’s why they’ll contend for the Lombardi Trophy again in February. WASHINGTON COMMANDERS (1-1) | Not an NFC Championship Game contender | The reality for the Commanders is they're midway through a rebuild and working with a thin roster. The team was outmatched by the Packers in a 27-18 loss in Week 2. In that game, Jayden Daniels got sacked four times and Austin Ekeler was lost for the season to an Achilles injury, removing a key threat in Washington's running game. The Commanders made a surprise deep playoff run last season, but don't expect a repeat. — Conor Killmurray NFC West ARIZONA CARDINALS (2-0) | Inability to close out games will doom Cardinals | The Cardinals have struggled to close both games. They needed a fourth-down stop in the red zone to prevent the New Orleans Saints from rallying from a 10-point second-half deficit in Week 1 and nearly blew a 27-9 lead to the Carolina Panthers in Week 2. Aside from a 52-yard run from running back Trey Benson in Week 1, the Cardinals haven't consistently got anything going on the ground (average 3.6 yards per carry). LOS ANGELES RAMS (2-0) | Signing of Davante Adams was massive | One of the more intriguing signings of the offseason was the Rams adding Adams after the release of former star wideout Cooper Kupp. After a relatively quiet opener (four catches for 51 yards) against the Houston Texans, Adams bounced back with six receptions for 106 yards and a TD in a Week 2 win over the Tennessee Titans, giving QB Matthew Stafford a strong 1-2 punch with Puka Nacua. SAN FRANCISCO 49ERS (2-0) | The 49ers have fixed special teams issues | Despite bringing in a new special teams coordinator in 14-year NFL veteran Brant Boyer, special teams issues appeared to be a problem once again for the 49ers. Jake Moody, who has since been released, missed a 27-yard field goal and had a 36-yard attempt blocked in Week 1. One week later, Eddy Pineiro hit from 44 and 46 yards in a 26-21 win over the New Orleans Saints, and all is well. SEATTLE SEAHAWKS (1-1) | Dominant defense carry team | After making two interceptions against 49ers QB Brock Purdy in a Week 1 loss, the Seahawks followed that up by sacking Pittsburgh Steelers QB Aaron Rodgers three times and forcing two more interceptions. The Seahawks lead the NFL with a 49.4% pressure rate (h/t NextGen Stats), making them a difficult unit to match up with. — Colby Colwell NFC North CHICAGO BEARS (0-2) | Not even Ben Johnson can fix this mess | Johnson picked the Bears after turning down enticing head-coaching opportunities over the past few years, and it’s possible he’s already regretting that decision. QB Caleb Williams hasn’t improved from his rookie season, the defense is a disaster and GM Ryan Poles’ draft picks aren’t panning out. It’s going to be another long, frustrating season in Chicago. DETROIT LIONS (1-1) | The interior offensive line will hold the Lions back | The Lions used to be able to rip off five yards per carry behind their elite offensive line, but this group isn’t the same without center Frank Ragnow, who retired. Jahmyr Gibbs had a 42-yard run in Week 2, but he has averaged only 3.5 yards per carry outside of that, and David Montgomery has averaged only 3.7. Detroit gave up 12 pressures, four sacks and nine tackles for loss in a Week 1 loss against the Packers. GREEN BAY PACKERS (2-0) | The Packers should be favored to win the Super Bowl | The Packers (+700 at FanDuel) are the third choice to win the Super Bowl, behind the Baltimore Ravens (+500) and the Buffalo Bills (+600), but they should be the favorites after blowing out the Lions and Commanders. Green Bay ranks fourth in offensive EPA per play (0.160), first in yards allowed per play (3.7) and fifth in pressures (19), and DE Micah Parsons isn’t even playing a full workload yet. MINNESOTA VIKINGS (1-1) | J.J. McCarthy is not the answer | It’s far too early to label McCarthy a bust, but the results have been discouraging through his first two NFL starts. The 22-year-old ranks last among qualified QBs in EPA per play (-0.354) and 30th in success rate (41.7 percent). McCarthy had one great quarter against the struggling Bears, but his other seven quarters were dismal. — Jack Dougherty NFC South ATLANTA FALCONS (1-1) | GM Terry Fontenot gets last laugh | For the past two years, many have mocked Fontenot’s NFL Draft approach. In 2024, he used the No. 8 overall pick on QB Michael Penix Jr., two months after signing Kirk Cousins to a massive free-agent contract. Then he traded a 2026 first-rounder to select a second edge-rusher in the first-round of April’s draft. But Fontenot is the one laughing following Penix’s promising career start and the defense coming off a six-sack performance against the Vikings, its most sacks in a road game since 2019 (h/t Stathead). CAROLINA PANTHERS (0-2) | Team blew it on run defense | The Panthers are likely ruing what could have been during free agency, when for a brief moment it appeared they had signed Super Bowl LIX-champion defensive tackle Milton Williams, who eventually landed with the New England Patriots after a last-second change of heart. Through two games, Carolina is allowing 5.2 yards per carry, the same as last season, while the Patriots rank first in stuff rate (35.9 percent)— rushing plays that result in no gain or a loss. (h/t NFL Pro). NEW ORLEANS SAINTS (0-2) | Head coach Kellen Moore has Saints headed in right direction | New Orleans lacks the talent necessary to compete with potential playoff teams, but that’s not Moore's fault. The Saints have lost their first two games by a combined 12 points and had an opportunity to win each late in the fourth quarter, showing impressive fight for a team with the odds stacked against it. TAMPA BAY BUCCANEERS (2-0) | Baker Mayfield is in the conversation for the NFL’s most clutch QB | Two games, two last-minute winning touchdown drives orchestrated by Mayfield. The 2018 No. 1 overall pick has already added two memorable chapters to his career of late-game heroics, including his 25-yard touchdown pass to Emeka Egbuka in Week 1 and his 15-yard scramble on 4th-and-10 against the Vikings to extend the game, proving there are few QBs better with the game on the line. — Eric Smithling AFC East BUFFALO BILLS (2-0) | This is Buffalo’s year | Buffalo fans should plan on attending Super Bowl LX in Santa Clara, California to watch last year’s AFC East champions cap an undefeated season with their first Lombardi Trophy. With a league-high 900 yards of offense and 71 points in two wins, the mighty Bills and reigning MVP Josh Allen, who needed just 14 completions to beat the New York Jets in Week 2, have no match. MIAMI DOLPHINS (0-2) | Trade Tyreek Hill now | With a players-only meeting already in the books, the dysfunctional Dolphins are going nowhere fast. Hill had six catches for 109 yards against the New England Patriots in Week 2 and could net the team a second-round pick in a trade. With no guaranteed money beyond 2025 and a $51M cap hit for 2026, the 31-year-old receiver should already have his bags packed. NEW ENGLAND PATRIOTS (1-1) | Who’s Tom Brady? | Second-year QB Drake Maye completed 65.2 percent of passes in a 20-13 loss to the Las Vegas Raiders in Week 1 but connected on 82.6 percent throws of in a 33-27 win against the Dolphins in Week 2. Book him a ticket to Canton. NEW YORK JETS (0-2)| The Jets should have kept Aaron Rodgers | Rodgers looked great against his old team in Week 1 (four TD passes, no interceptions), less so against the Seattle Seahawks in Week 2 (one TD pass, two interceptions). But no QB looked worse than New York's Justin Fields, who completed three passes for 27 yards before leaving in the fourth quarter of a Week 2 loss to the Bills because of a concussion. Meanwhile, Rodgers’ five touchdown passes are tied with Tampa Bay Buccaneers QB Baker Mayfield and Los Angeles Chargers QB Justin Herbert for second most in the NFL. — Bruce Ewing AFC West DENVER BRONCOS (1-1) | The big free-agent signees look like flops | This offseason, the Broncos signed TE Evan Engram and LB Dre Greenlaw, but neither has bolstered the roster. The TE has just four receptions for 33 yards, and the LB hasn’t played because of a quadriceps issue. KANSAS CITY CHIEFS (0-2) | The Chief would stink without QB Patrick Mahomes | Mahomes — who ranks fourth in the league QBR (81.4) through two games — is one of the few reasons the Chiefs are still considered a Super Bowl contender. Kansas City ranks 24th in the NFL in points (19 PPG) and is tied for 19th in points allowed (23.5). LAS VEGAS RAIDERS (1-1) | RB Ashton Jeanty is no longer an Offensive Rookie of the Year candidate| Jeanty (pick No. 6) has 30 carries for 81 yards (2.7 yards per carry) and one TD in two games. After a Week 2 loss to the Chargers, new Raiders head coach Pete Carroll said they're bringing the former Boise State star along slowly. Unless he starts rolling soon, the 2024 Heisman finalist has no prayer in the OROY race. LOS ANGELES CHARGERS (2-0) | QB Justin Herbert is an MVP contender | Through two starts, he has completed a career-high 72.1 percent of his passes for 560 yards and five TDs and logged an outstanding 81.6 QBR. — Clark Dalton AFC North BALTIMORE RAVENS (1-1) | Lamar Jackson is a master of efficiency | If you’re not respecting Jackson’s ability to pass, you’re not paying attention. Since the start of the 2024 season, Jackson has the NFL’s best touchdown/interception ratio (47 TD passes to only four interceptions). CINCINNATI BENGALS (2-0) | The Bengals have wasted Joe Burrow | The Bengals received a gift from the football gods when they landed Burrow with the 2020 No. 1 overall pick. But they have squandered that gift, making the playoffs twice with him and playing him behind a consistently poor offensive line. He has already missed 15 games in his career and is going to add many more to that total after suffering a toe injury in Week 2. CLEVELAND BROWNS (0-2) | It’s time to start one of the young QBs | Joe Flacco, 40, is just a waste of time for Cleveland. It’s clear the Browns are a disaster and Flacco (three picks, two TD passes) should be a backup. Whether it is Dillon Gabriel or Shedeur Sanders, the Browns must give one of their rookie QBs meaningful snaps...and that means starting one of them. PITTSBURGH STEELERS (1-1) | The defense stinks | Before the season, HC Mike Tomlin and the Steelers talked a big game about what their defense would be capable of, with Tomlin using the word “historic” to describe its upside. But the defense has been anything but historic. Instead, it is getting pushed around again in the running game (allowing 149.5 yards per game and 4.4 yards per carry). — Adam Gretz AFC South HOUSTON TEXANS (0-2) | The offense is broken | Joe Mixon was the focal point of the offense in 2024 with 1,325 total yards from scrimmage and 12 touchdowns, but the running back has a foot injury and no timetable for a return. The Texans have struggled to run with Nick Chubb as their lead back, which has put more pressure on QB C.J. Stroud. Houston’s 14 points per game through the first two weeks ranks last in the NFL. INDIANAPOLIS COLTS (2-0) | Daniel Jones is a playoff QB | The Colts are the most surprising team in the NFL, and Jones is a worthy starter after a dismal end to his career with the New York Giants. He has accounted for five total touchdowns and ranks second in the NFL with 588 passing yards. Jones looks like he has renewed confidence playing under HC Shane Steichen. JACKSONVILLE JAGUARS (1-1) | Trevor Lawrence will never live up to his contract | Lawrence signed a five-year, $275M contract extension before last season and then struggled through an injury-riddled year. The No. 1 overall pick in the 2021 NFL Draft continues to have an issue with turnovers (three interceptions in two games). Lawrence has plenty of weapons around him and a QB whisperer of a coach in Liam Coen, so he has no excuse to look average. TENNESSEE TITANS (0-2) | HC Brian Callahan won’t survive the season | NFL teams have not been patient with struggling head coaches in recent years, and Callahan might be the next to receive a pink slip sooner than expected. The Titans went 3-14 in Callahan’s first season last year and are winless in 2025. Callahan is navigating a tough set of circumstances with a rookie starting QB in Cam Ward, who has completed just 50.8 percent of his passes through his first two games, but that might not matter. — Steve DelVecchio
Kyle Shanahan has surprising Brock Purdy update — 49ers are confident in QB situation regardless
Chargers star Khalil Mack's outlook is better than expected
Los Angeles Chargers outside linebacker Khalil Mack will be out for a few weeks after dislocating his elbow during Monday night’s matchup with the Raiders, according to NFL Network’s Ian Rapoport. Who will take Khalil Mack's place for the Los Angeles Chargers? The injury is not season-ending, but Los Angeles will need one of its depth outside linebackers to take Mack’s place for the time being. That will likely be veteran Bud Dupree, who replaced Mack on Monday and has significantly more experience than third-year UDFA Caleb Murphy or fourth-round rookie Kyle Kennard. At the moment, it seems unlikely that the Chargers will make a signing to bolster their OLB depth. Mack’s injury is not expected to be long-term, and the pool of free-agent edge-rushers has suddenly dried up after both Preston Smith and Jadeveon Clowney signed with new teams this week. The Chargers did host their rival's former draft bust on a visit. Instead, the Chargers’ plan will likely be as follows: Dupree will start, with Murphy receiving a bump in snaps as the No. 3 edge-rusher and Kennard making his NFL debut after two healthy scratches to start the year. The team was comfortable with only four active outside linebackers in Weeks 1 and 2, so it may not feel the need to make an elevation from the practice squad. Mack, 34, was quiet in Week 1 against the Chiefs but looked better on Monday with one sack and one tackle for loss in Las Vegas. He re-signed with the Chargers this offseason on a one-year, $18M deal after six sacks in 2024.
'You kept your mouth shut': College Football Hall of Famer praises Georgia star
Count College Football Hall of Famer and CBS Sports analyst Aaron Taylor among the fans of Georgia quarterback Gunner Stockton, who led the Bulldogs to a thrilling 44-41 overtime win against Tennessee on the road on Saturday. The SEC matchup was touted as Stockton's first true test as Georgia's QB this season. "I'm going to give the game ball this week to Gunner Stockton," Taylor said Tuesday. Added the analyst: "Gunner, you represent everything that's great about football and this sport. You kept your mouth shut and you delivered when it mattered most. You pushed all the chips in on yourself, you bet on yourself and you dropped a dime and rose to the moment when your best is needed." Gunner Stockton sat behind Carson Beck, Stetson Bennett Stockton is in his first season as a full-time starter for the No. 5 Bulldogs (3-0). He enrolled at Georgia in 2022 and sat behind Stetson Bennett and Carson Beck. However, the 21-year-old redshirt junior got considerable playing time in Georgia's postseason run last season. Stockton helped lead the Bulldogs to an SEC Championship Game win over Texas after Beck suffered an injury and also started in Georgia's College Football Playoff loss against Notre Dame. The matchup against Tennessee was Stockton's first career start against an SEC opponent. Against the Volunteers, he threw for 304 yards, two touchdowns and completed 74 percent of his passes. The 6-foot-1, 215-pound QB displayed poise despite playing in a hostile environment in a rivalry the Bulldogs have won nine consecutive times. Gunner Stockton threw key TD pass late against Tennessee In a 4th-and-7 situation with Georgia trailing 38-30 late in the fourth quarter, Stockton threw a 28-yard TD pass to wideout London Humphreys to give the Bulldogs a chance to tie. Stockton then converted a two-point conversion pass to Zachariah Branch to tie the score at 38. Stockton also contributed 38 yards rushing and a TD. Georgia HC Kirby Smart's offense is predicated on the power game, and Stockton executed the game plan perfectly. Taylor, who starred at Notre Dame from 1990-93, knows football, and he likes what he sees in the Georgia QB. "It was the way he blocked out all of the noise," Taylor said about Stockton. "Somehow he had humility but confidence."
NHL Rumors: Could the Boston Bruins Be a Seller Again?
Will Boston Bruins Sell Off Pieces If Their Season Doesn’t Start Off Strong During his segment on TSN Radio in Montreal, when he was asked about reactionary teams making moves, whether getting off to good or bad starts, Dave Pagnotta of the Fourth Period mentioned the Boston Bruins as one of those teams. “I mean, the other club that I look at that we haven’t mentioned is Boston. If the Bruins perform the way I anticipate them to perform this season, which is not that great,” Pagnotta said. “I see them being a team that starts to look to move out some additional pieces that they’ve got. Similarly to how they did last year, but being a little bit more aggressive in their attempt to do it, because of their opportunity to go after the number one pick with Gavin McKenna being the top prize. You’re going to see some teams looking at that quarter mark, that first third of the season, going all right, we just don’t have it. It’s time to look to move out some pieces here, and maybe we can better our odds at getting that first overall pick. And I think Boston’s in that boat.” One of the players that was brought up in the segment was Pavel Zacha, who was mentioned as a potential player that could draw teams around the league, according to Jimmy Murphy of RG Media. Pagnotta was then asked if Zacha was at the top of the list, and then proceeded to mention other players who are entering the final year of their deals that could be on the move if things don’t go their way to start the year. Host: “Top the list. You talk about Zacha, right?” Dave Pagnotta: “Yeah, yeah. Zacha. Andrew Peeke is a pending UFA. I mean, Zacha was available last year. They tried to move him out, even going into the off-season. And I know there have been some whispers, ties, and reports that the Canadiens are one of the teams in that mix. But I certainly look at Zacha. I look at Victor Arvidsson on an expiring contract, who they got from the Oilers. I look at some of those pieces that they’ve got. Keep in mind, (Charlie) McAvoy was hurt for a good chunk after Four Nations. (Hampus) Lindholm was banged up for a good chunk of the season as well. They had some injury issues that factored into their poor performance last season. But I think if this team starts to falter a little bit, I think they look to those types of players as potential guys that can, that they can move. It’s again, this is another retool on the fly scenario because of the off-season that they got there. They feel Tanner Jeannot, whom they signed as a free agent is the power forward that hasn’t been able to be unleashed yet that could fit the mold of what the Bruins bring. So if they again, if they falter, I could certainly see them being a club that looks at some of their other pieces and going all right, we don’t need to tear this down fully, but if we move out some of these pieces to better our future here again, it may better our odds at that first overall selection.”
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