The Washington Commanders ended their relationship with quarterback Carson Wentz after just one season as they announced his release on Monday.
Head coach Ron Rivera was among the commanders of the Commanders who pushed for a Wentz trade with the Indianapolis Colts for draft compensation. However, Wentz’s inconsistencies throughout the season caused Rivera to bench him and go to Taylor Heinicke midway through the year.
This offseason, Wentz being released by Washington was a hot topic because of his salary situation. With Wentz on board, the Commanders had about $8.3 million to work with in free agency and the 2023 NFL Draft.
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Carson Wentz of the Washington Commanders throws a pass against the Bears at Soldier Field on October 13, 2022 in Chicago. (Michael Reaves/Getty Images)
The cancellation of his contract now allows the Commanders to save $26,176,471 toward their cap, exponentially increasing their ability to bolster their roster elsewhere this offseason. Wentz was slated to be Washington’s top salary cap in 2023.
But the biggest factor in Wentz’s release is the Commanders’ faith that Sam Howell, their fifth-round pick in the 2022 NFL Draft, can be their quarterback of the future. With Wentz being fired and Heinicke set to become a free agent in March, Howell will be the only quarterback on the roster when the new league year begins.
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Howell started just one game for the Commanders last season and it resulted in a 26-6 Week 17 win over the Dallas Cowboys, where he was 11-of-19 for 169 yards with a touchdown and interception, while rushing for 35 yards and an interception. contact too.
Carson Wentz of the Washington Commanders drops back to pass against the Cleveland Browns at FedExField on January 1, 2023 in Landover, Maryland. (Todd Olszewski/Getty Images)
The Commanders also have a new offensive coordinator in Eric Bieniemy, who moves from the Super Bowl champion Kansas City Chiefs after last season. Perhaps Howell can benefit from Bieniemy’s scheming.
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As for Wentz, he turned 30 in December, so there could be some interest from teams across the league. However, a starting role is not guaranteed for him.
At one point, Wentz was a solid quarterback with the Philadelphia Eagles and played a vital role in their run to the Super Bowl in 2018. However, during a road game against the Los Angeles Rams that season, Wentz fractured his vertebrae. , which sidelined him for the rest of the year. Fortunately for Philly, Nick Foles was up for the challenge in the postseason.
Carson Wentz of the Washington Commanders reacts during the Bears game at Soldier Field on October 13, 2022 in Chicago. (Michael Reaves/Getty Images)
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Since then, Wentz hasn’t returned to that level of play. In eight games last season (seven starts), he went 2-5 with 1,755 yards on a 62.3 completion percentage with 11 touchdowns and nine interceptions. He also finished with a 33.0 quarterback rate, the lowest of his career.