3 primary factors behind Carson Wentz’s demise with Commanders
By Dean Jones
The Commanders’ OL was porous
It wasn’t just the play-calling aspect that hurt Carson Wentz. The Washington Commanders got almost no consistency from their offensive line, which was porous almost from start to finish and something the one-time North Dakota State product just couldn’t overcome.
Wentz got an average of 2.3 seconds in the pocket, which was his lowest since entering the league in 2016. He was sacked 26 times in just eight games, which is another damning indictment of how much the Commanders must upgrade their protection in the coming weeks.
Of course, Wentz held onto the football too long at times. There was also real hesitancy in terms of pocket awareness and decision-making that shouldn’t be overlooked.
Blaming others is all well and good. But this is the second consecutive season where Wentz failed to maximize another opportunity to become a productive NFL starter.
Given how things normally go, Wentz might not get a third chance. Certainly not when it comes to going elsewhere and being guaranteed a starting berth.
As for the Commanders, expect those in power to address their offensive line as a matter of urgency during free agency and the 2023 NFL Draft. Anything else would be borderline malpractice based on how things unfolded throughout the 2022 campaign.