Thursday, March 28

NFL rumors: Colts trade Carson Wentz back to NFC East


The Carson Wentz experiment in Indianapolis is over.

ESPN’s Adam Schefter reports the “Colts are trading QB Carson Wentz to Washington for a package of packs that is thought to include two third-round picks, sources tell ESPN. Washington is taking QB Carson Wentz and his full contract, per sources. Washington is paying the full $28 million due to Carson Wentz this year, which includes a $5 million roster bonus due next week.”

Here are the full details of the trade, per Schefter:

Colts get:

2022 third-round pick, 2023 third-round pick that can become a second if Carson Wentz plays 70 percent of plays, 2022 second-round pick.

Commanders get:

QB Carson Wentz, 2022 second-round pick.

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It was just one year ago Indianapolis acquired Wentz from the Philadelphia Eagles in exchange for a 2021 third-round draft pick and a conditional 2022 second-round pick which turned into a first-rounder, No. 16 overall.

But Wentz and the Colts lost the last two games of the regular season, including an embarrassing 26-11 flop in Week 18 to the Jacksonville Jaguars, coughing up an AFC wild card in the process.

The Colts trading Wentz comes as little surprise. Before kickoff in Super Bowl LVI, ESPN NFL insider Chris Mortensen reported that “By March 18, (Wentz) will probably be traded or released. Wentz has $50 million of his base salary guaranteed. For Carson Wentz and the Colts, it looks like it was a one-year marriage that went wrong.”

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On top of that, NBC Sports NFL insider Peter King hinted at discord between the Colts and Wentz.

My first reaction when I heard Chris Mortensen’s report that the Colts would try to trade Wentz in the next month: There’s something bubbling beneath the surface here. Wentz failed down the stretch for Indianapolis, but the play itself (middling .624 accuracy rate, 27 TDs, seven picks, 94.7 rating) wasn’t bad enough for the Colts and coach/mentor Frank Reich to give up on a player they spent first- and third-round picks to acquire. … My guess is something happened here, something other than a 9-8 record, that led to this moment. Attitude, an incident, work ethic, loss of trust. Something. I don’t know what.

But as recently as last week, Colts head coach Frank Reich was standing by his man. Consider what he said to the media during the NFL Combine:

USA Today’s Josina Anderson: Colts HC Frank Reich: I still believe in Carson Wentz. I stuck my neck out to get him here. We’ll see if he will be here or not. That decision has not happened yet, but you also can’t fall into the trap of just assessing players in small snap shots.”

WIP’s Eliot Shorr-Parks:Frank Reich says he think Carson Wentz took some positive steps forward in 2021 from 2020, especially with turnovers Didn’t really answer if he wanted Wentz back as his QB next year.”

Reich, of course, knows Wentz from their days together with the Eagles. But Colts general manager Chris Ballard seemed less inclined to remain married to Wentz.

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The Athletic’s Zack Berman:Chris Ballard on the criticism of Carson Wentz: ‘Most of it is pretty fair. It’ll be interesting to see how he grows from this. I think he will.’”

The Athletic’s Stephen Holder: “Colts GM Chris Ballard on Carson Wentz/QB situation: ‘Mr. Irsay, Frank and I will sit down over the next few weeks and figure it out.’”

Indianapolis Star’s Nate Atkins: “Chris Ballard is here and the first question is about whether he has a set plan at quarterback. ‘I don’t know. We’re still working through it. I know I’m going to get a lot of questions about Carson right now, and I don’t have a great answer for you.’”

So now it’s back to the drawing board for Ballard and the Colts.

NFL Network’s Ian Rapoport reports “The #Colts have now entered the QB race again, and expect them to be in the mix for Jimmy Garoppolo, as well.”

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Mike Rosenstein may be reached at [email protected].



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