Commanders To Trade For Colts' Carson Wentz: Report

WASHINGTON, DC — The Washington Commanders are acquiring Indianapolis Colts quarterback Carson Wentz in a trade, according to ESPN's Adam Schefter.

The Commanders are expected to send their 2022 second-round draft pick and third-round picks in the 2022 and 2023 drafts for Wentz and the Colts' 2022 second-round pick, according to the report. The 2023 third-round pick would become a second-round pick if Wentz plays 70 percent of the team's snaps in 2022.

The teams can't complete the deal until the beginning of the new league year next week.

Wentz's contract has three years and $81.7 million left, but Washington can cut ties after the 2022 season without any salary cap penalties, according to Spotrac.

The Commanders are familiar with Wentz, who played his first five seasons for NFC East rival Philadelphia Eagles. The quarterback was taken second overall in the 2016 NFL Draft by the Eagles and got off to a fast start to his career.

He was named second-team All-Pro in 2017, his second season, and finished third in MVP voting. Wentz was considered a frontrunner for the award until he tore his anterior cruciate ligament and lateral collateral ligament in December, cutting his season short after just 13 games. The Eagles went on to win the Super Bowl that season with backup Nick Foles at quarterback.

Wentz has struggled with consistency and injuries since, and the Eagles traded him to the Colts prior to the 2021 season. Wentz finished with 3,563 passing yards and 27 touchdowns with seven interceptions in his lone season with the Colts.

The reunion of Wentz and Colts coach Frank Reich, his former offensive coordinator in Philadelphia, didn't live up to expectations and ended after one season. The final game of the Wentz era in Indianapolis was an unexpected 26-11 loss to the last-place Jacksonville Jaguars in the final game of the regular season that kept the Colts out of the playoffs.

Colts owner Jim Irsay reportedly made up his mind to move on from Wentz well in advance of the trade and declined to meet with the quarterback recently about his standing with the team, according to The Athletic.

Still, Wentz upgrades a quarterback room that was led last season by Taylor Heinicke after journeyman Ryan Fitzpatrick suffered a hip injury in the season opener.

Heinicke threw for 3,419 yards with 20 touchdowns to 15 interceptions last season when Washington went 7-10 and missed the playoffs.