Colts fans will love what former Eagles star said should be expected from Carson Wentz
By Jerry Trotta
The Indianapolis Colts’ offseason thus far has been incredibly dull, which speaks volumes when you consider that they got things started by trading for Carson Wentz, who, if everything goes well, will be their starting quarterback for the next several years.
Of course, the complaints from fans can largely be attributed to the Colts’ lackluster showing in free agency, which has forced questions about whether they’re doing everything possible to put their new quarterback in the best position to succeed.
This isn’t to say that Wentz needs to be coddled, but he has a lot to prove after he was arguably the worst gunslinger in the league last season. On the flip side, however, you could make the case that 2020 was an anomaly and a byproduct of poor coaching and woeful roster construction.
That makes Wentz a prime candidate for a bounce-back year. We know fans will need to see evidence of improvement before they can buy into that notion, but perhaps some praise from one of his former Eagles teammates will do the trick.
During an appearance on “The Rich Eisen Show” this week, former Eagles pass rusher Chris Long went into great detail about what Colts fans can expect from Wentz. To avid spoiling anything, let’s just say Long is a huge fan of the former No. 2 overall pick.
Colts fans will love hearing what Chris Long had to say about Carson Wentz.
This interview sheds quite a damning light on the reports that indicated Wentz wasn’t respected in the Eagles’ locker room, doesn’t it? While Long acknowledged that the 28-year-old quarterback has a ways to go in the leadership department, the fact that the media depicted him as some sort of morale deterrent during his tenure in Philadelphia is almost laughable.
"“I think he’s a good dude,” Long said. “I think it just became such a character assassination conversation and every time somebody asks me about it I’ll just repeat the same thing. He’s not a bad guy. He can work on some things leadership and locker room-wise, reaching out to every corner of the locker room.”"
Everybody understands that Wentz is more reserved than most quarterbacks, and that will probably have to change if he wants to take the next step in his career. However, the early signs following the trade to Indy suggest that he’s already making strides there.
The five-year pro has not only exchanged text conversations with several of his new teammates, but wideout Michael Pittman Jr. posted an Instagram photo of him, Wentz and Dezmon Patmon working out in California a few weeks ago.
QB Carson Wentz has joined #Colts WRs Michael Pittman and Dezmon Patmon during their off-season workout. @cj_wentz @MikePitt_Jr @dadpat7 pic.twitter.com/wMgfxYltMl
— Stampede Blue (@StampedeBlue) March 13, 2021
So, what should Colts fans expect from their new QB? According to Long, they’re getting one heck of a competitor whose impact on a locker room (or lack thereof) was mistaken in light of a hellish run of form that was only compounded by organizational ineptitude and a reactionary fan base.
The bottom line is that Wentz is a family man who’s incredibly easy to root for. Seeing as though he has all the requisite pieces around him (elite offensive line, strong running game, etc.) to flourish, he shouldn’t have much of a problem winning over the Colts fan base.
