Carson Wentz’s career stats vs NFC East prove trade can be success

With free agency open for business, the Washington Commanders are putting the finishing touches on their roster.

While certain moves haven’t resonated with the fan base, it’s reassuring the Commanders’ quarterback predicament has been resolved.

It’s unclear whether the front office views Carson Wentz, who was acquired for a 2022 third-round pick and a conditional third-rounder next year, as the short-or long-term answer, but he should be positioned to enjoy immediate success.

After all, the NFC East isn’t exactly the class of the NFL. The Cowboys’ overall talent has already regressed, the Giants are revamping their roster and the Eagles, despite having three first-round picks this year, are still a flawed team.

Another reason? Wentz has fared extremely well against the division over his career. Having spent five seasons in Philadelphia, the former No. 2 overall pick is well-accustomed to racking up wins over inferior competition.

Carson Wentz’s career stats against the NFC East are a great sign for the Commanders.

For his career, Wentz has played 25 games against New York, Dallas and Washington. Despite never having a great receiving corps or offensive line, Wentz went 16-9 against those squads as the Eagles’ starting quarterback.

That alone is impressive, but Wentz collected a 94.6 passer rating while averaging 257.84 yards per game in those contests, adding 42 touchdowns to just 14 interceptions. That’s good for a 3:1 touchdown-to-interception ratio.

We know stats don’t always tell the full story of a player’s performance, but Wentz has wins AND efficiency on his side here. Of course, the one caveat is Wentz will now go up against Philadelphia for the first time in his career.

While the Eagles aren’t world-beaters, there’s no telling where Wentz’s emotions will be playing against not only his former team, but the QB (Jalen Hurts) whose selection in the second round back in 2020 seemingly marked the beginning of the end of Wentz’s relationship with the front office and coaching staff.

On the flip side, Wentz will no longer have the luxury of paying against the Commanders twice a season. In eight games vs Washington during his five years in Philly, the 29-year-old compiled a 5-3 record while completing 66.1% of his passes for 277.9 yards and 17 touchdowns to six interceptions.

This isn’t to say Wentz will set the division ablaze next season, but these stats are definitely a point of optimism for Washington. While Wentz’s volatility has players Cowboys cornerback Trevon Diggs happy to see him back in the NFC East, the QB’s familiarity with the competition should not be understated.

In comparison to the NFC West or AFC North, Wentz’s history in this division could make the transition to joining a former rival a seamless one.