Colts internal frustration with Carson Wentz proves Commanders should tread lightly

The Washington Commanders are going to have a new quarterback by the start of mandatory minicamp and OTAs. That much is certain.

The only problem is we have no idea where Ron Rivera and the front office are going to turn, and that’s leaving a lot of fans disgruntled. Based on the head coach’s latest comments during an interview with The Athletic, it sounds like the team is much more likely to trade for or sign a veteran than draft a rookie.

A name that keeps getting floated is Carson Wentz, whose future with the Indianapolis Colts is doubtful after they choked away a 98% chance to make the playoffs entering the final two weeks, largely due to Wentz’s subpar play.

Once viewed as a top-tier quarterback, Wentz has quickly morphed into a middle-of-the-road starter with reckless tendencies.

Any team that trades for Wentz, including the Commanders, would be inheriting a significant risk. It’d be one thing to acquire a QB who has upstanding off-field intangibles. With Wentz, that conversation’s up for debate.

In fact, Bob Kravitz of The Athletic understands the Colts are likely to release Wentz and their “behind closed doors” issues with the quarterback reportedly had a bigger influence on their decision than his on-field ability.

The Commanders should tread lightly if they pursue Carson Wentz.

The source of Indy’s internal frustration with Wentz is unclear. The organization couldn’t have been thrilled Wentz is unvaccinated, thus putting his team at risk if he tested positive given he would’ve had to sit out a minimum of 10 days.

At the end of the day, though, that’s a personal choice and we doubt that factored into their decision. After all, Quenton Nelson and Darius Leonard, two of Indy’s three most important players, also made the decision to not get vaccinated.

Could this fuss be about Wentz’s leadership, or lack thereof?

During his time in Philadelphia, there was extensive reporting blasting the QB’s leadership qualities. While Eagles veterans Malcolm Jenkins and Chris Long debunked those rumors, they did make sure to note they wished Wentz made more of an effort to establish a tighter bond with his teammates.

While it seemed like Wentz improved in the leadership department with Indy, ESPN’s Jeff Darlington joined a recent episode of NFL Live to report that “The Colts didn’t necessarily fall in love with him from a leadership perspective.”

In fact, Darlington was in attendance for Indy’s humiliating Week 18 collapse against Jacksonville. In getting a close look at Wentz’s mannerisms and trying to rall the sideline, Darlington said he felt “the vibe wasn’t there.”

That’s not what we could call a ringing endorsement of Wentz.

While the Commanders are looking to upgrade at the quarterback position and Wentz would represent just that, we’re hard-pressed to think that Rivera will opt for a guy who clearly doesn’t have it all together from a leadership aspect after the physically-limited Taylor Heinicke had no trouble winning over the locker room.

As a coach with a military background who champions leadership in a QB, Rivera no doubt viewed this report as a major red flag. We’ll know soon enough whether it was enough to completely redirect his interest in Wentz.