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Washington Found Answer at Quarterback

Originally posted on Gridiron Heroics | By Mason Orcutt | Last updated 7/4/22

The Wentz experiment begins…

Newsflash, the Washington Commanders have needed a quarterback. From the non-existent Ryan Fitzpatrick era last season, to the eventual Taylor Heinicke disappointment, they can’t seem to catch a break. The franchise believes they have found an answer in Carson Wentz, the former Eagle and most recently, Colt. Their organization exchanged multiple draft picks for the North Dakota State alum this offseason.

Wentz has had his ups and downs since entering the league in 2016, the latter mainly stemming from frequent injuries. He was a major part of the Philadelphia team that won the Super Bowl in 2017, but was hurt by the time the playoffs came around. Nick Foles stepped in, ran the Philly Special, and the rest is history.

After that season, many Philadelphia fans wondered if Wentz had ever been that good, or if he just had a great surrounding cast. His limited time in Philadelphia thereafter left a lot to be desired. He posted career lows in season wins (3), interceptions (15) and completion percentage (57.4). Cue the Indianapolis Colts, who gained optimism after trading picks for Wentz. Things were looking up until they were eliminated from contention by the lowly Jacksonville Jaguars last year.

What about the rookie?

Now Wentz gets his chance to wear the gold and burgundy, and see if he can prove himself a true Commander. He is not without competition at the position, as Washington drafted yet another qaurterback this year. They snagged promising prospect Sam Howell out of UNC with the 144th pick of this year’s draft. Howell has shown he is a very capable player since joining the team.

Wentz himself has a career record of 44 wins, 40 losses and a tie . He has made great use of previous tight ends, helping Zach Ertz and Dallas Goedert rise to stardom in Philly. Now, enter Logan Thomas. Wentz also has been great at setting up his team’s running backs for success. Now, enter Antonio Gibson. If they can avoid injuries, hopes are understandably high in the nation’s capitol. Many other surrounding skill positions are present, including newly extended reciever Terry McLaurin.

The NFC East is ultimately up for grabs again this season. The division is one without a definite powerhouse. Eagles and Cowboys fans may disagree, but recent history leans towards the uncertainty. A healthy defense and quarterback could put the Commanders in the mix. Why not Washington? Why not Wentz?

This article first appeared on Gridiron Heroics and was syndicated with permission.

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