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Carson Wentz

NFC East Notes: Wentz, Luck, Gallup, Giants

March 22nd, 2022 at 9:51pm CST by Sam Robinson

Before acquiring Carson Wentz, the Commanders scoured the league for their next passer. They made a three-first-rounder offer for Russell Wilson and pursued Aaron Rodgers. Those avenues closed quickly, leading Washington to Wentz. The team made a list of eight QBs it viewed as a satisfactory upgrade, with John Keim of ESPN.com noting this included Deshaun Watson. It is unclear if the team pursued Watson, but Texans GM Nick Caserio pointed out there were more interested teams than the four finalists. The Commanders’ search, which involved Ron Rivera participating in an lengthy QB-centered discussion with three-time Super Bowl champion HC Joe Gibbs, also included a consideration of Andrew Luck. That did not get off the ground, per Keim. Luck has been retired for three seasons now and has dropped some weight from his playing days. Wentz resided somewhere on the Commanders’ eight-man list, with his 6-foot-5 frame appealing to his new team. The Colts initially told the NFC East team he was not available, but that changed at the Combine and led to a deal.

Here is the latest from the NFC East:

  • Given a five-year, $57.5MM Cowboys contract, Michael Gallup is coming off an ACL tear sustained in Week 17. The fifth-year receiver is unlikely to be ready by Week 1, Michael Gehlken of the Dallas Morning News tweets. Dallas is obviously looking at Gallup’s long-term trajectory, having jettisoned Amari Cooper to keep his former sidekick at a lower rate. But the team may need to stash Gallup on the PUP list or make him an active-roster non-participant to start the season, depending on his timetable.
  • The Giants added multiple interior offensive linemen — Mark Glowinski and Jon Feliciano — last week but are still in need at right tackle. They sent key personnel to Mississippi State prospect Charles Cross‘ pro day Tuesday. Offensive coordinator Mike Kafka, offensive line coach Bobby Johnson and assistant O-line coach Tony Sparano Jr. were on-hand in Starkville, Miss., per NJ.com’s Zack Rosenblatt. Cross said the Giants and Jets have been the teams most interested thus far. Cross is viewed as this draft’s third-best tackle prospect, behind Alabama’s Evan Neal and North Carolina State’s Ikem Ekwonu. The Giants hold two top-10 picks — Nos. 5 and 7 — and will not surprise anyone if they use one of them on an O-lineman.
  • James Bradberry and Saquon Barkley remain Giants, but Bradberry’s $21.9MM cap number jumps out on the team’s payroll. The Giants will probably have to jettison Bradberry, even if they would prefer to keep him, SNY’s Ralph Vacchiano writes, due to their cap situation. Big Blue has discussed Barkley and Bradberry in trades, and while they may hang onto the latter until draft weekend, dumping the talented cornerback later in the offseason remains in play. Bradberry’s through-2022 deal already contains a void year, but the Giants would save $11.5MM by designating him as a post-June 1 cut. A trade before or after June 1 would free up more than $12MM in funds, though it remains to be seen how late of a draft pick the Giants would accept for their No. 1 corner.

Latest On Colts, Commanders’ Carson Wentz Trade

March 9th, 2022 at 6:51pm CST by Sam Robinson

To say the Colts soured on Carson Wentz probably undersells this situation. While Indianapolis landed a reasonable return for its latest one-and-done starter, the team did not play this process coyly.

The Colts’ decision-makers publicly did not commit to Wentz, after Jim Irsay called a meeting in the wake of the team’s end-of-season collapse. The Colts were drifting away from Wentz before those two losses, per The Athletic’s Zak Keefer, who adds in an expansive piece the former No. 2 overall pick’s leadership qualities — or lack thereof — bothered the team to the point it could not count on its recent hired gun.

Well aware of the Colts’ course change, Wentz attempted to meet with Irsay in the past month. Irsay declined that meeting, Keefer reports, effectively ending the Wentz era before the team’s Wednesday trade with Washington. The Wentz deal leaves the Colts as a clear have-not at quarterback, but the team steadfastly abandoned ship after one season. Whomever Indianapolis starts in Week 1 of next season will be the sixth different passer to open a Colts season in the past six years.

The Colts did get the Commanders to pay up, relatively speaking. Washington initially offered fourth- and sixth-round picks for Wentz, Keefer notes. Indianapolis moved the terms to two thirds — the 2023 third can move to a second based on playing time, similar to the first-rounder exchanged in 2021’s Colts-Eagles swap — and a swap of second-round picks. The Colts now hold the No. 42 pick in the 2022 draft, climbing up five spots. Indy does not have a first-rounder in this draft, having traded it to Philly for Wentz.

Washington had offered three first-round picks for Russell Wilson, per Grant Paulsen of 106.7 The Fan (on Twitter). The Commanders offered at least that, per the Washington Post’s Mark Maske and Nicki Jhabvala, but the Seahawks traded Wilson to the Broncos. Washington let it be known it was seeking a veteran quarterback, and while Deshaun Watson was also on the team’s radar, it pulled the trigger on the Wentz trade. Indeed, Wilson refused to waive his no-trade clause for the Commanders, Charles Robinson of Yahoo.com tweets. By all accounts, Wilson had zeroed in on Denver this offseason.

As for Wentz’s Colts fit, Keefer adds the franchise’s issues with the sixth-year veteran began before Week 1 of last year. A lack of leadership and a resistance to hard coaching — a complaint mentioned in the fallout from Wentz’s Eagles run — invited early Colts doubt about Wentz. Irsay had also expressed frustration about Wentz’s refusal to be vaccinated against COVID-19. Wentz landed on the reserve/COVID list before the season and ahead of Week 17. Although Wentz finished the season with a 27-7 touchdown pass-to-interception ratio, he topped 200 passing yards just twice in his final eight games and ended the season with a career-low 4.3 QBR against the Jaguars.

Colts To Trade Carson Wentz To Commanders

March 9th, 2022 at 12:51pm CST by Zachary Links

The Colts have agreed to trade Carson Wentz to the Washington Commanders (Twitter link via Adam Schefter of ESPN.com). In exchange, the Commanders will send their 2022 third-round pick and their 2023 third-round pick to the Colts. The ’23 third-rounder can also convert to a second-round choice if Wentz plays on 70% of Washington’s snaps in 2022. The deal will also see a swap of second-round picks with the Colts moving from No. 47 to No. 42. Schefter adds that the Commanders are also receiving the Colts’ 2022 seventh-round pick (Twitter link).

[RELATED: Details On Commanders’ Offer For Russell Wilson]

Colts GM Chris Ballard recently indicated that he was “still working through” the Wentz situation with head coach Frank Reich and owner Jim Irsay. Ultimately, following Tuesday’s Russell Wilson blockbuster, they’ve chosen to move their own starter and reshape the quarterback position. The Colts — who already had about $37MM in available cap room — have carved out even more space by trading Wentz.

“When we made the decision, after Philip [Rivers] retired and we made the decision to make a move on Carson, at the time of the decision we felt good about it and I still don’t regret the decision at the time,” Ballard said in January. “Sitting here today, just so y’all know, I won’t make a comment on who is going to be here next year and who is not going to be here next year. That’s not fair to any player.”

The QB was widely panned for his Week 18 performance against the Jaguars, the loss that cost the Colts a playoff berth. He also clashed with team brass throughout the year and even rankled Irsay. Still, despite all the issues, Wentz managed to finish the year with a 27-7 TD-INT ratio while placing ninth in league-wide QBR.

The Commanders were previously linked to Wilson and said to have interest in 49ers signal caller Jimmy Garoppolo. Ultimately, they didn’t want to wait on the Niners, choosing instead to pivot to Wentz. (The Colts, meanwhile, could consider Jimmy G as their next QB, as Ian Rapoport of NFL.com tweets.)

Wentz, 30 in December, may be a consolation prize, but he’s still a strong pickup Ron Rivera & Co. They’ll have Wentz under contract at a $22MM salary this year with a $6.294MM roster bonus. After that, they’ve got him for two more seasons. In 2023, he’s due $20MM in salary with a $6.176MM roster bonus. In 2024, that salary increases to $21MM with a $6.235MM bonus payout.

The Colts will now move on to their fifth starting quarterback in Ballard’s sixth year at the helm. So far, they’ve gone through Jacoby Brissett, Andrew Luck, Rivers, and Wentz — none of those players served as the primary starter in back-to-back seasons. Now, Wentz is out less than one year after his arrival in Indianapolis.

As noted by ESPN.com’s Field Yates (on Twitter), the Colts sent a 2021 third-round pick and a 2022 first-round choice to the Eagles for Wentz. The Colts now have one rocky year and significantly less draft capital to show for it. The Eagles, meanwhile, went on to parlay the third-rounder into a trade up for DeVonta Smith, and they’re still set to pick at No. 16 overall in April.

Colts GM Chris Ballard On Carson Wentz

March 4th, 2022 at 11:19am CST by Zachary Links

The Colts are “still working through” their quarterback situation, GM Chris Ballard says (Twitter link via Joel A. Erickson of the Indy Star).
With that in mind, Ballard says that he’ll make a decision on “what’s best for the team” in the next ten days along with head coach Frank Reich and owner Jim Irsay. 

Wentz was widely panned for his Week 18 performance against the Jaguars, the loss that cost the Colts a playoff berth. He also clashed with team brass throughout the year and even rankled Irsay. Ballard has yet to give Wentz a vote of confidence, a sign that they could be ready to move on.

“When we made the decision, after Philip [Rivers] retired and we made the decision to make a move on Carson, at the time of the decision we felt good about it and I still don’t regret the decision at the time,” Ballard said in January. “Sitting here today, just so y’all know, I won’t make a comment on who is going to be here next year and who is not going to be here next year. That’s not fair to any player.”

Still, the Colts are projected to have upwards of $37MM in cap room this year — good for seventh in the league — and that’s with Wentz on the books. It’s also worth noting that he managed to finish ninth in QBR, despite so-so production from his wide receivers. Given Wentz’s solid 27-7 TD-INT ratio in 2021, the Colts still have reason to keep him. But, if they don’t, Wentz could fetch at least some draft capital in a trade.

Releasing Wentz would save the Colts another $13MM, if they do so by March 19. If he stays, he’ll be under contract with a $28MM cap number for the coming year.

Latest On Trade Market For Carson Wentz, Jimmy Garoppolo

February 24th, 2022 at 8:33pm CST by Ben Levine

Carson Wentz and Jimmy Garoppolo will be popular names on this website throughout the offseason, but their respective teams may have difficulties finding trade partners suitors. According to CBS Sports’ Jason La Canfora, interest in Wentz and Garoppolo has been “lukewarm as best.”

Wentz got the majority of the blame for the Colts ugly Week 18 loss to the Jaguars, and the quarterback’s decision to go through the season unvaccinated (which caused him to miss a week of practice leading up to the Colts’ Week 17 loss to the Raiders) drew the ire of some Colts decision makers, including owner Jim Irsay. Chris Ballard‘s noncommitment to Wentz exiting the season provided a fairly clear indication the team is not sold on its starter.

So, despite giving up a 2021 third-round pick and 2022 first to acquire the former Eagles QB, the Colts now have Wentz on the block. The Colts could save $13MM by cutting Wentz before March 19. Should Wentz stay a Colt, he will be attached to a $28MM cap number.

The writing was on the wall for Garoppolo in San Francisco when the organization gave up a haul to draft Trey Lance with the third-overall pick. Despite an uncertain future, the veteran still went 9-6 in his 15 starts this past season (plus a pair of postseason victories). We heard recently that the 49ers were seeking a Day 2 choice for the 30-year-old. Garoppolo’s contract includes a $24.2MM salary in 2022.

Latest On Colts, Carson Wentz

February 17th, 2022 at 7:17pm CST by Sam Robinson

The Colts’ January collapse has put Carson Wentz‘s tenure with the franchise in jeopardy. Despite the team giving up a hefty trade haul for the former Eagles starter — a 2021 third-round pick and 2022 first — a weekend report indicated Wentz may well be a one-and-done in Indianapolis.

Wentz’s role in the Colts’ final two losses has moved the team to consider outside options, according to Dan Graziano of ESPN.com. Chris Ballard‘s noncommitment to Wentz exiting the season provided a fairly clear indication the team is not sold on its starter, despite decent numbers in his first season back with Frank Reich.

After the unvaccinated quarterback struggled upon return from his COVID-19 contraction, which caused him to miss a week of practice leading up to the Colts’ Week 17 loss to the Raiders, he failed to come through again in Jacksonville in one of the uglier regular-season losses in recent NFL history. Wentz’s decision to go through the season unvaccinated did not sit well with Jim Irsay, Zak Keefer of The Athletic notes (subscription required), and the Week 18 loss to the Jaguars prompted a meeting during which the owner, Ballard and Reich discussed Wentz at length.

The Colts have not made a decision on Wentz, ESPN.com’s Mike Wells notes, but it is not difficult to see which way they are leaning. The six-year vet’s chances of being given a second shot probably hinge on Indianapolis’ search for a replacement. The Colts would save $13MM by cutting Wentz before March 19. Should Wentz stay a Colt, he will be attached to a $28MM cap number.

Finding an upgrade is not automatic here. Aaron Rodgers has been connected to the Broncos most frequently as an outside destination, but signs are starting to point to the four-time MVP staying with the Packers. No strong indicator has yet emerged to point Russell Wilson out of Seattle, and the Vikings are preparing to keep Kirk Cousins. Derek Carr is going into the final year of his contract, and the Raiders have changed regimes. But Josh McDaniels is believed to hold Carr in high regard. None of this is set just yet, but unless the Colts view Jimmy Garoppolo as an upgrade, the team would fight an uphill battle thanks to having given up its 2022 first-rounder for Wentz. The Colts’ lack of a first-rounder also removes them from the mix to add one of this year’s top prospects.

Availability aside, this would be an intriguing destination for one of the potentially available QBs. The Colts rostered three defensive Pro Bowlers and have one of the NFL’s top offensive lines. They intend to extend Quenton Nelson this year, locking down their All-Pro left guard after reaching long-term agreements with center Ryan Kelly and right tackle Braden Smith. The team does need help at wide receiver, which makes Wentz’s 27-7 TD-INT ratio and ninth-place QBR finish last season look fairly impressive. But Indy’s roster is in good shape otherwise. Even with Wentz’s contract on the books, the Colts are projected to hold more than $37MM in cap space — seventh-most in the league.

QB Wentz’s Future With Colts In Question

February 13th, 2022 at 5:57pm CST by Ely Allen

Reports have been circulating concerning the future of quarterback Carson Wentz in Indianapolis. It started earlier today when ESPN’s Chris Mortensen went on “NFL Countdown” and stated that, “By March 18, (Wentz) will probably be traded or released.” 

The Colts traded for Wentz last offseason. Wentz played well for most of the year, throwing for 3,563 yards while tossing 27 touchdowns to only 7 interceptions. However, Wentz’s struggles down the stretch cost the Colts a playoff spot as they lost their final two games.

$15MM of Wentz’s salary for 2022 was guaranteed last March and the remaining $7MM of his 2022 salary will be guaranteed on March 18. March 18 is also the date that triggers a fully guaranteed roster bonus of $6.3MM for Wentz. So if the team were to cut Wentz before then, they would only be on the hook for the $15MM guaranteed last year and would save the $13.3MM due to him next month.

Joel Corry, who writes for CBS Sports on NFL contracts and salary caps, tweeted out some skepticism about releasing Wentz. He points out that the price the Colts paid to obtain Wentz last year (a 2021 third-round pick and a 2022 first-round pick) doesn’t point to a one-year rental.

The best case scenario is likely finding a trade candidate willing to take on Wentz’s full contract. They wouldn’t have much leverage in the negotiations, though, considering they’d be asking a team to take on a contract they don’t want to take on themselves. A more likely scenario would see the Colts include Wentz in conversations with a trade candidate wherein they can agree to a re-worked contract that works for both Wentz and the new team. That way, they can attempt to redeem some of the value they gave up to get Wentz last year while allowing them to move on from the sixth-year quarterback.

Whatever route they plan on taking, the Colts have a little over a month to navigate it. There are certainly some quarterback needy teams that would consider Wentz an upgrade and may have the cap space to take on a contract that would keep Wentz happy.

Colts GM Not Committing To Carson Wentz For 2022

January 14th, 2022 at 6:23pm CST by Sam Robinson

While Carson Wentz rebounded from last year’s ugly Eagles season, his performance in the Colts’ final two games did the most to prevent the team from qualifying for the playoffs. The veteran passer’s Indianapolis future is somewhat uncertain.

Wentz is signed through 2024, and the Eagles took on a record dead-money sum by trading him less than two years after authorizing a big-ticket extension. As a result, the Colts have Wentz on a more manageable contract. GM Chris Ballard‘s endorsement of his starter, however, was less than ideal.

“When we made the decision, after Philip [Rivers] retired and we made the decision to make a move on Carson, at the time of the decision we felt good about it and I still don’t regret the decision at the time,” Ballard said, via Mike Wells of ESPN.com. “Sitting here today, just so y’all know, I won’t make a comment on who is going to be here next year and who is not going to be here next year. That’s not fair to any player.”

Ballard was a bit more comfortable discussing Quenton Nelson‘s future with the franchise, but the dominant guard’s status is not exactly in question. The Colts have used four different starting quarterbacks during Ballard’s five-year GM tenure — Jacoby Brissett, Andrew Luck, Rivers and Wentz — and none has been the primary starter in back-to-back seasons. This has limited one of the NFL’s better rosters, one that sent seven players to the Pro Bowl this season.

Should the Colts unload Wentz before June 1, a $15MM dead-cap hit would come their way. The team does have the former No. 2 overall pick attached to sub-$28MM cap numbers from 2022-24. As quarterback salaries move beyond $40MM annually, Wentz’s deal is becoming a middle-class QB pact.

Wentz, 29, did finish 10th in QBR this season and ended his first Indianapolis slate with a 27-7 TD-INT ratio. Following his positive COVID-19 test, however, poor performances led to the Colts losing as a favorite against the Raiders and a two-touchdown favorite against the Jaguars.

“I’d like to quit Band-Aiding it,” Ballard said. “I’d like for Carson to be the long-term answer or find somebody who will be here for the next 10-12 years. Sometimes it doesn’t work out that way. I can dream about it, wish about it, do everything I can to figure out the solution, but you do the best with what you can do at the time.”

With select QBs expected to be available this year, it is not a lock Wentz returns. The Colts did give up first- and third-round picks for him, certainly limiting their draft options at the position. And given Wentz’s history with Frank Reich and progress as a whole in 2021, a second season in Indy should probably still be the expectation. But Ballard’s comments make this a situation worth monitoring.

“At the end of the day, I think we have a lot of really good players and really good pieces. You have to get stability at the quarterback position,” Ballard said. “That position has to play up to his potential to help the team win. I’m not blaming this all on Carson. I’m not because everybody else has to do their job, too.

“But the hyper-importance of that position, it’s real. You have to get consistency there. The years we’ve gotten it we’ve been pretty good, and we thought we had it until the end of the season. Something we have to continue to work through.”

NFL COVID-19 List Updates: 1/1/22

January 1st, 2022 at 4:46pm CST by Ely Allen

Here are the New Year’s Day activations from and placements on the reserve/COVID-19 lists:

Atlanta Falcons

Baltimore Ravens

Carolina Panthers

Cincinnati Bengals

Dallas Cowboys

Denver Broncos

Detroit Lions

Green Bay Packers

Indianapolis Colts

Jacksonville Jaguars

Las Vegas Raiders

Los Angeles Chargers

Miami Dolphins

Minnesota Vikings

  • Activated from reserve/COVID-19 list: G Oli Udoh

New England Patriots

New Orleans Saints

New York Giants

New York Jets

  • Activated from reserve/COVID-19 list: CB Bryce Hall

Philadelphia Eagles

Pittsburgh Steelers

San Francisco 49ers

Seattle Seahawks

Tampa Bay Buccaneers

Tennessee Titans

Colts’ Wentz Expected To Start

January 1st, 2022 at 1:16pm CST by Ely Allen

The Colts announced in a tweet this afternoon that they have activated quarterback Carson Wentz from the reserve/COVID-19 list, a move that needed to happen by 4:00PM today in order for him to play tomorrow. He won’t be officially cleared to play until Sunday morning, but the expectation is that he will be available to start a crucial game against the Raiders tomorrow afternoon.

Indianapolis currently sits at (9-6), which is good for 2nd in the AFC South behind the Titans (10-5). While the division would be out of reach for the Colts if the Titans win either of their final two games (vs Dolphins, @ Texans), the Colts have the opportunity to clinch a playoff spot with a win tomorrow. The win won’t come without a fight, as the Raiders (8-7) are battling for their playoff lives, as well.

Wentz tested positive for COVID-19 on Tuesday and, as he is unvaccinated, it was required that he be quarantined for a period of 10 days. However, the NFL followed moves from the CDC and shortened the quarantine period to five days if the positive-testing player is asymptomatic. That appears to be the case for Wentz here and this protocol update may just have saved the Colts’ season.

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