How will the Commanders address QB conundrum in 2023?

Two huge football surprises were revealed on Wednesday and Thursday and it shocked football fans across the league, including supporters of the Washington Commanders.  As a result, the quarterback position for fans of the Burgundy and Gold just became clearer – or did it?

Two bombshells over two straight days have put the 2023 NFL offseason on notice – a full two games before the season ends.  The news that developed on Wednesday affected Commanders fans in a somewhat divided way, but it certainly sparked a lot of conversation.  On Thursday, the same fan base was treated to a second bombshell and the Commanders faithful have so much more to think about during this upcoming offseason.

Let’s take a look at the buzz that was generated during that 48-hour period.

Wednesday’s news came as something of a shock to fans across the world, but many analysts were not overly surprised.  Las Vegas Raiders quarterback Derek Carr was demoted on Wednesday and is likely to be inactive over the final two games of the season (he has reportedly stepped away from the team).  Within minutes, Washington Commanders fans on social media saw the news and immediately began to speculate about Carr’s availability in the offseason.  Their interest was piqued and the excitement was growing.

On Thursday, it was revealed that Derek Carr would not be in the Raiders’ plans for 2023 and beyond.  Nothing is official, but he could be on the trading block or released sometime immediately after the Super Bowl.  In other words, Carr will have a new address in 2023.  Should the Commanders be interested?  Is Carr a realistic option?  Most fans of the team seem very interested, but a few want to stay away from the former Fresno State star.  Another development could quickly render the Derek Carr news a non-story.

On Thursday, a developing story dropped courtesy of Commanders beat reporter John Keim and it contained some very surprising information.  It seems as if Washington is willing to stick with Carson Wentz as the probable starter on a restructured contract.  Also, the team is very happy with the development of rookie quarterback Sam Howell and he could be the primary backup to Wentz in 2023.  The team would like to re-sign fan favorite Taylor Heinicke.

Keim went on to say that the team is not interested in pursuing a new quarterback during the offseason.  This news was shared with yours truly via a team source recently and this tidbit from Keim seems to confirm what he reported.  Too, this is why the recent mock drafts here haven’t focused on a quarterback.  When you read between the lines, it probably indicates that the offensive line will receive a lot of attention during free agency and the draft.  It also will free up some money on the salary cap and allow the organization to use more draft picks on team needs.

The news in Las Vegas is interesting, but the Commanders seem to be channeling their resources in a direction that began to take shape during the previous offseason.  Can Carson Wentz take control as the starter in 2023 and beyond?  Will Sam Howell be ready for the primary backup role?  Can Taylor Heinicke accept being a third-string quarterback?  The Washington Commanders appear to be set at the position in 2023, but one major caveat must be addressed – will Wentz prove himself in the remaining games of the 2022 season?  See you as we go along.