Reports surrounding the Indianapolis Colts and quarterback, Carson Wentz, made early headlines on Super Bowl Sunday.
Everyone knew the Indianapolis Colts would have some big decisions to make this offseason, primarily at the quarterback position. However, that pending decision came to the spotlight before the 2021 season officially ended.
On Super Bowl Sunday, the Colts and the future of Carson Wentz were the topic of the morning, following a statement by longtime reporter, Chris Mortensen.
Mortensen, on ESPN’s NFL Countdown, said that Wentz’s future with Indianapolis looks “bleak” and he is likely to be released or traded before March 19. That is a significant date because it is the day before Wentz’s 2022 contract becomes fully guaranteed.
There is a belief that money will not be a factor in the decision to keep or move on from Wentz.
The vibe I’ve gotten the past several weeks, from Jim Irsay’s perspective at least, is money will **not** be the deciding factor here. In other words, if Colts decide to move on from Wentz, they’ll eat the $15 mil no problem. Question would be: who replaces him? https://t.co/rysWh8D5DN
— Zak Keefer (@zkeefer) February 13, 2022
There’s belief that Colts will trade or release Carson Wentz
From the time the season ended, it has been clear that the franchise was not fully committed to Wentz. From Frank Reich to Chris Ballard to Jim Irsay, it was clear a decision would have to be made.
It was just last offseason that Indianapolis acquired Wentz from the Philadelphia Eagles, in a trade that cost the Colts their 2022 first-round pick.
In Wentz’s one season in Indy, he played in all 17 games, throwing 3,563 yards, 27 touchdowns, and seven interceptions as the Colts finished 9-8, missing the playoffs.
While it was a bounce-back year for Wentz statistically, many feel that he is unable to go to the next level and consistently make big plays for Indy to be a real contender.
With the quarterback talent that was on display throughout the playoffs, the argument is that Indianapolis must upgrade at the position.
The question, however, is who will be the upgrade? The only real options for a definitive step up are Russell Wilson and Aaron Rodgers. Both of their availabilities depend on personal decisions to leave or stay with the franchises they’ve spent their entire career with.
If they do become available, the Colts will join the crowded field hoping to land their services. In reality, that will be the ultimate decision-maker for if Wentz is starting for Indianapolis next season.
If Indy can land a sure upgrade, they will. If they can’t, Wentz and the team will have to move forward as if they didn’t try to replace him.
3 offensive players Colts must move on from in 2022
There are multiple players the colts should retain for 2022. It might be time to move on from these offensive players for the future of the franchise