Commanders bring Carson Wentz back to NFC East in trade with Colts

Well, that didn’t take long.

Approximately 24 hours after striking out on acquiring Russell Wilson, the Washington Commanders have found their quarterback.

On Wednesday, the Commanders agreed to acquire Carson Wentz from the Indianapolis Colts for a package that is said to include two third-round picks, according to ESPN’s Adam Schefter.

Just one year ago, the Colts acquired Wentz from the Eagles for a 2021 third-round pick and a conditional second-rounder in 2022 that morphed into a first-rounder (No. 15 overall) after Wentz played 75% of the snaps in 2021.

When you compare the deals, this trade looks like a win for Washington.

Carson Wentz will be the Commanders’ starting quarterback in 2022.

With a roster that’s widely perceived to be an elite quarterback, the Colts made the decision to move on from Wentz after just one season.

While the former No. 2 overall pick was solid for Indianapolis for most of the year, his poor play down the stretch, including the final two games (both losses) against the Raiders and Jaguars that helped the Colts blow a 98% chance of making the playoffs, ultimately gave Chris Ballard and Frank Reich no other choice.

From the Commanders’ perspective, acquiring an above-average starter for two mid-round picks is a nice piece of business. Yes, Wentz is as maddening as they come at the position, but he’s a significant upgrade to what the team has rolled out in recent years, including 2021 with Taylor Heinicke starting 16 games.

At the end of the day, Wentz was the best of the remaining options — Jimmy Garoppolo, Jameis Winston, Mitchell Trubisky, Marcus Mariota, etc. — and should give the Commanders a chance to return to the playoffs in an NFC that is much weaker than when the season ended.

Who knows? With the Cowboys more hell-bent on saving money than pursuing a championship, Washington is suddenly back in contention for the NFC East.

Here are the official terms of the trade. Looks like Washington and Indy will swap second-round picks this year with an added conditional third-rounder in 2023 that can become a second if Wentz plays 70% of the snaps.

https://twitter.com/AdamSchefter/status/1501636375493459969

Again, at face value this is a GOOD deal for the Commanders.