Commanders release Carson Wentz as downfall continues originally appeared on NBC Sports Philadelphia
INDIANAPOLIS — As the annual NFL combine begins, the Washington Commanders have officially released quarterback Carson Wentz.
The former Eagles quarterback will now be looking for his fourth team in four years for the 2023 season.
Get top local stories in Philly delivered to you every morning. >Sign up for NBC Philadelphia's News Headlines newsletter.
Wentz, 30, played just one season in Washington. He had a 2-5 record with 11 touchdowns and 9 interceptions and was benched a couple of times by head coach Ron Rivera.
The Eagles faced Wentz last season in Week 3 in Washington. Wentz was sacked nine times in that game as the Eagles won 24-8. He did not play the next time the two teams faced off.
It’s hard to believe Wentz was an MVP candidate and Pro Bowler in 2017 and helped lead the Eagles to an 11-2 record before tearing his ACL. He then watched Nick Foles lead the Eagles through the playoffs and to a Super Bowl win and Wentz’s career has never been the same since.
Local
Breaking news and the stories that matter to your neighborhood.
Sure, there are still glimpses. We saw them in 2019 when he won the last four games of the season to get the Eagles into the playoffs. We saw some in Indy under Frank Reich in 2021. And there were even some very brief glimpses during his one season in Washington.
But it’s very clear that Wentz is running out of chances.
It seems very likely his next opportunity in the NFL will be as a backup quarterback. While the Eagles might be in the market for a veteran backup, I wouldn’t bet on a happy reunion in Philly.
Things really unraveled with their former franchise quarterback. Eventually, the Eagles traded Wentz after the disastrous season in 2020 when Wentz was benched and the Eagles started Jalen Hurts down the stretch. Wentz wanted out so the Eagles gave him that chance in a trade that eventually looked like a huge steal.
When the Eagles traded Wentz after the 2020 season, they received a 2022 first-round pick (after conditions were met) and a 2021 third-round pick.
A year later, when the Colts traded Wentz to the Commanders, they got back much less back in a deal that shipped a third-round pick to Indianapolis.
And now that the Commanders are finished with Wentz, they’ll get nothing for him. Instead, Washington released Wentz to save roughly $26 million in cap space.
The Eagles drafted Wentz with the No. 2 overall pick out of North Dakota State in 2016 after trading up from 13 to 8 to 2 to select him. And after the 2018 season, the Eagles signed Wentz to a four-year, $128 million extension. Less than two years later, Wentz was traded and his career hasn’t ever reached the heights we expected.
