Vincent Frank
Former Philadelphia Eagles, Indianapolis Colts and Washington Commanders quarterback Carson Wentz has fallen on hard times recently.
The No. 2 pick of Philadelphia back in 2016, Wentz has played for three teams in each of the past three seasons. He was released by the Commanders earlier this offseason after struggling in his one season with the organization.
Now a free agent, the 30-year-old Wentz has not drawn a ton of interest on the open market. He’s looking to change that with training camps getting going next month. We already know Wentz is open to backup jobs. He’s also now working with former Raiders and Buccaneers head coach Jon Gruden in preparation for a summertime signing.
At this point, Wentz would have to take a backup job if he were to play in the NFL next season. Unfortunately, the market just doesn’t seem to be there for an embattled figure who was way out of his element for the Commanders last season.
- Carson Wentz stats (2022): 62.3% completion, 1,755 yards, 11 TD, 9 INT, 80.2 QB rating
This is a far cry from what we saw Wentz do earlier in his career with the Eagles. From 2016-19, the former North Dakota State star threw 97 touchdowns compared to 35 interceptions in 56 starts. Since then, he’s tallied 54 touchdowns and 31 interceptions in 36 starts.
Related: Carson Wentz and the top remaining NFL free agents
Possible Carson Wentz landing spots in NFL free agency
- Las Vegas Raiders: Free-agent signing Jimmy Garoppolo is recovering from off-season foot surgery. At this point, the Raiders expect him to be ready for Week 1. However, a potential timeline change could force Vegas to go after Wentz. Its top backup right now is veteran journeyman Brian Hoyer.
- Dallas Cowboys: Can Dallas rely on Cooper Rush to stand in for Dak Prescott and win games? We’re not too sure. Rush is among the worst No. 2 quarterbacks in the NFL. While Wentz has not performed well in a starting role over the past three seasons, he’d be a marked upgrade over Rush.
- New England Patriots: Bill Belichick and Co. like what they see from young quarterback Mac Jones heading into his third season. This comes after the former first-round pick struggled big time as a sophomore. Perhaps, the Pats look for some insurance in the form of Carson Wentz. Right now, their top backup QB is an unproven Bailey Zappe.
- Green Bay Packers: With the Jordan Love era now starting in Green Bay, there is every expectation that the Packers will look for a veteran in NFL free agency. Rookie mid-round pick Sean Clifford is currently QB2 in Green Bay. That’s not an ideal scenario.
- Miami Dolphins: Teddy Bridgewater joins Wentz as a free agent with training camps getting going soon. That leaves free agent signing Mike White as Tua Tagovailoa‘s top backup. It’s not a great situation given Tua’s concussion history. Given their track records, Wentz would be an upgrade over White behind Miami’s QB1.
