Pros and cons of Commanders trading for Carson Wentz
By Jerry Trotta
It’s anyone’s guess as to whom the Washington Commanders will appoint as their next quarterback. With several potential trade options, a select few free agent possibilities and the crapshoot that is the 2022 draft class, the front office is hopefully waist deep in their evaluation process.
For now, all we can do is speculate.
Trading for a superstar is obviously the dream, but it’s far more realistic that the Commanders acquire one of Carson Wentz, Jimmy Garoppolo, Marcus Mariota, Mitchell Trubisky or Jameis Winston.
Out of that group, we view Wentz as the clear standout. After contributing to the Colts’ epic late-season collapse, that culminated in a blowout loss to the Jaguars in Week 18 when all they needed was a win to get in, the former No. 2 overall pick of the Eagles seems to be on his way out of Indianapolis.
Is Wentz perfect? Obviously not, but his strengths far outweigh his flaws and he’s arguably a top-15 player at the position. So, with the Colts reportedly looking for an upgrade, let’s review some pros and cons of trading for Wentz.
There's a belief that #Colts QB Carson Wentz will "'probably" be traded or released before March 19th, per @mortreport. That's when $15M in base salary becomes guaranteed. His future in Indianapolis looks "bleak."
— Ari Meirov (@MySportsUpdate) February 13, 2022
The pros and cons of the Commanders trading for Carson Wentz.
Pro: Physical attributes and he’s an upgrade
If you’ve browsed Commanders Twitter in recent weeks, you’d think Tom Brady had been quarterbacking the team the last 10 years. Sorry, but Washington isn’t “too good” for Wentz, or any of the QBs listed above for that matter.
At the end of the day, Wentz would represent a seismic upgrade compared to Ryan Fitzpatrick and Taylor Heinicke. The former Eagle might not be everyone’s cup of tea, but the Commanders aren’t in a position to be picky.
Let’s make it as black and white as possible: If Wentz makes you better (he would) and a superstar isn’t available, you make the trade.
With that out of the way, it’s important to understand that Wentz is one of the most athletically gifted QBs in the league. While he’s not a mobile QB by any stretch, his ability to extend plays and make throws on the run would give Washington a luxury at the position that a lot of teams simply don’t have.
Can Garoppolo say that? We didn’t think so.