The Carson Wentz situation in Washington has a real effect on the Colts
Carson Wentz is no longer the quarterback for the Indianapolis Colts but his play and health still have an impact on the team.
The last week has been a roller coaster for Carson Wentz. It started with his head coach Ron Rivera seemingly throwing him under the bus before Rivera ultimately delivered a passionate rant in defense of Wentz. In between those statements by Rivera was a game that the Washington Commanders won but Wentz also sustained an injury during the action.
It has been reported that Wentz fractured a finger in his throwing hand and that he met with a specialist to learn more about the injury and his path back to the field. It’s been determined that Wentz will likely miss 4-6 weeks. While this is mainly a problem for Wentz and the Commanders, the situation also has an impact on the Indianapolis Colts.
Although the Colts washed their hands of Wentz when they traded him to Washington, Indy is still affected by Wentz’s health and performance because a part of the trade package received for Wentz was a conditional third-round pick. If Carson Wentz plays 70% of Washington’s offensive snaps, then the third-round pick elevates to a second-round pick for Indianapolis.
From NFL Now: #Commanders QB Carson Wentz is facing a 4-6 week recovery time, which shakes things up for Washington's offense. pic.twitter.com/Z1jSTDSlRw
— Ian Rapoport (@RapSheet) October 17, 2022
Carson Wentz’s injury could impact the Colts
Whether Wentz misses four or six weeks, it doesn’t necessarily mean he won’t reach 70% of snaps. With six games already played, Wentz can return later in the year and still reach the benchmark. However, there’s no guarantee that the Commanders stick with him at quarterback.
That’s not really a knock on Wentz but the truth is that Washington is struggling at 2-4. Things could get rolling with Taylor Heinicke and the Commanders could decide to stick with him. Or, with a rookie quarterback in Sam Howell, Washington may just want to see what they have in the young quarterback with the season quickly slipping away.
This is pretty much the same situation with Wentz from last season when the Philadelphia Eagles were monitoring his playing time for the Colts so that the conditional second-round pick would become a first. Wentz of course ended up playing 98% of the offensive snaps for Indianapolis and the pick became a first-rounder for Philly.
The Colts are hoping they can have a similar fortune this year as Carson Wentz tries to get healthy with the Washington Commanders.
