After just one season, Carson Wentz's time with the Washington Commanders has come to a close. After being released by the Commanders, Wentz is now looking for his fourth NFL franchise.
Wentz appeared in just eight games for the Commanders. He went 2-5 as a starter, throwing for 1,755 yards, 11 touchdowns and nine interceptions. Wentz's release saved Washington $26.2 million in cap space. With head coach Ron Rivera turning to Sam Howell at QB, Wentz was no longer needed.
At this stage of his career, it's hard to see Carson Wentz as an immediate starter. His past two seasons with the Colts and Commanders have damaged his reputation. However, he is still a former Pro Bowl quarterback with 92 games of starting experience. Many teams around the league could value him as a backup in NFL free agency.
Wentz isn't the QB he was during the early portions of his career with the Eagles. But teams could certainly do worse under center. For any of these three teams, Wentz would be a major boost to the existing quarterback room.
Atlanta Falcons
The Atlanta Falcons have turned to Desmond Ridder as their starter. But Ridder could still use a veteran to learn from behind him.
Currently, that role is filled by Marcus Mariota, who has one year left on his deal. However, Mariota left Atlanta when he was benched for Ridder. The Falcons would only be hit by $2.5 million in dead cap space if they were to release him. If the relationship is broken between Atlanta and Mariota, Wentz can be the Falcons' new veteran backup.
While the Falcons clearly believe Ridder has the potential to start, the quarterback only has four games of NFL experience. He's gone 2-2 in those contests, racking up 708 passing yards and two touchdowns.
Ridder is currently the future at QB in Atlanta. But Wentz would provide a solid mentor to learn from if Mariota were to depart.
San Francisco 49ers
The San Francisco 49ers already have a quarterback battle brewing between Brock Purdy and Trey Lance. But with both battling injuries, the 49ers could use a veteran safety net.
Lance missed almost the entire season with an ankle injury. Purdy is set to undergo elbow surgery after tearing his UCL in the NFC Championship Game. Both are expected to battle for the starting QB spot when fully healthy.
San Francisco is set to lose Jimmy Garoppolo this offseason. After six years with the Niners, San Fran has decided to go in a different direction at quarterback. He'll likely be seeking starting opportunities this offseason.
If Lance and/or Purdy are healthy, one of them will be the 49ers' starter. But after seeing so many QBs go down with injury this past season, Wentz gives San Francisco a bit more security.
Dallas Cowboys
Cooper Rush was impressive in his five starts for the Dallas Cowboys, going 4-1. But Rush is not only a free agent, but large unproven until this season.
Since entering the league in 2017, Rush has made just six total starts. He still hasn't attempted more than 100 passes in a season. Rush could come back to the Cowboys as a free agent, but if he walks the Cowboys will need a backup plan. Wentz, even with his shaky play, might be a safer backup option over Rush.
Prescott has never started all 17 games during his seven years with the Cowboys. Finding a strong backup is key for Dallas as a backup has started at least one game for the Cowboys dating back to 2016. Outside of Prescott, Will Grier is the only other quarterback currently on the roster. Grier has more NFL interceptions (4) than career starts (2).
Joining the Cowboys in NFL free agency would be Carson Wentz's third stop inside the NFC East. He would give Dallas a seasoned veteran at backup and someone they at least know can start if Prescott were to go down.
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