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Carson Wentz has officially entered the NFL’s free agent quarterback pool following his release from the Washington Commanders after just one season with the team. Wentz’s stock is obviously falling: […]
Carson Wentz has officially entered the NFL’s free agent quarterback pool following his release from the Washington Commanders after just one season with the team.
Wentz’s stock is obviously falling: as the Commanders couldn’t find any trade partners and had to opt for an outright release. But for the teams that miss out on the Derek Carr’s and, potentially, Aaron Rodgers’ of the world, Wentz could be a safe if not spectacular option at the quarterback position.
Despite a lackluster seven-game stint in Washington, Wentz did have the Indianapolis Colts on the cusp of the playoffs just a season prior.
So where will Wentz land for the 2023-24 season? Will it be like I said: whichever teams miss out on the Rodgers/Carr sweepstakes? Will any team make the more affordable Wentz their top priority? Could we see Wentz slide in to a backup role somewhere?
Here are some potential landing spots for the former Philadelphia Eagles and North Dakota State quarterback. To share your prediction or join the discussion, be sure to connect with Sak Sports Blog on Twitter or on Facebook!
The New York Jets have been stuck in quarterback purgatory for about as long as I’ve been watching football. Swinging big doesn’t seem to work, but the quarterbacks that New York drafts never pan out or earn second contracts with the Jets.
Throw veteran Carson Wentz in to the quarterback room. In 2023, he’s a better option than a 38-year old Joe Flacco to be the established presence in the room. Between Wentz, Mike White, and Zach Wilson, surely the Jets could find someone capable of running the offense.
Wentz could easily be a starter on a Jets team that’s thin in quarterback talent. As an insurance option to back-up whoever the Jets see as their current Week 1 starter, Wentz could also work.
This scenario really hinges on whether the New York Giants keep Daniel Jones this offseason. If the Giants let Jones walk, they’ll immediately be in the market for a starting-caliber quarterback.
If New York lets Jones leave, they’re not gonna be spending that same money to sign Derek Carr. But for less than half the cost, they could probably insert Wentz in to Brian Daboll’s system.
Jones is more talented than Wentz right now, but it wouldn’t be an astronomical drop-off.
If the league doesn’t see Wentz as a Top 32 quarterback any longer and he’s forced to sign to a pure backup role, New York could still technically be an option even if they re-sign Jones.
The Tampa Bay Buccaneers may not be as loaded as they were during their Super Bowl 55 run, but they still have too much talent that shouldn’t go to waste. With what looks like an official, real retirement from Tom Brady leaves a glaring hole at quarterback for the Buccaneers.
No offense to Kyle Trask, but if the Buccaneers want to improve on their 8-9 record and maintain NFC South supremacy next season, an experienced signal-caller would do them well.
It’s likely that Derek Carr, Aaron Rodgers, and Daniel Jones are higher on Tampa Bay’s wishlist. But those options could quickly dry up: Rodgers and Jones could stay with their respective teams, cream of the drip free agent Care signs that elsewhere, and suddenly Wentz becomes one of the more appealing options.
The San Francisco 49ers had quite the quarterback roller coaster in 2022-23, starting the season with Trey Lance, being forced to re-insert Jimmy Garoppolo in to the starting role by Week 3, and then going on a tear with third-string quarterback Brock Purdy. Unfortunately, while the 49ers rode the roller coaster all the way to the NFC Championship Game, it was a rather anti-climactic finish. Purdy was in and out of the game, forcing fourth-string journeyman Josh Johnson in to the game that would decide who represented the NFC in the Super Bowl.
While Purdy avoided Tommy John surgery, the future is still uncertain for San Francisco with two young quarterbacks coming off injuries. The 49ers will almost certainly look to bring in an established presence to be ready for any situation, and Wentz fits the bill.
To Wentz’s dismay, the quarterback market continues to grow larger by the day, with recently released Falcons quarterback Marcus Mariota joining a pool of qualified passers with starting experience: the likely metrics the 49ers will be looking for in a third quarterback.
I put the Atlanta Falcons on this list before they even cut Marcus Mariota. Mariota was obviously on the chopping block already, and I’m not sold on Desmond Ridder as Atlanta’s quarterback of the future. Insert Wentz for at least an open preseason quarterback competition.
I’m not sure how Wentz would fit in to Atlanta’s long-term plans, but with one experienced starting quarterback out of the organization, I think the Falcons will be looking for depth. Ridder and a rookie in 2023 might be too much of a gamble without a sturdy backup in the reigns.
Header Photo Credits: NBC Sports
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