Adjustments are in order if the Kansas City Chiefs want to cement themselves as the next great NFL dynasty. Departures like that of L'Jarius Sneed are going to leave a dent on Coach Andy Reid's squad. However, they do get new weapons in Hollywood Brown and retain a strong defensive presence in Chris Jones. Next up for the squad was to find someone to take over signal caller duties when Patrick Mahomes is not feeling too well. Cue: Carson Wentz joining the Chiefs through NFL Free Agency.
The Chiefs signed Carson Wentz to a one-year backup deal, per Jordan Schultz of Bleacher Report. This gives Coach Andy Reid an experienced quarterback capable of doing well in the scramble and also in delivering deep bombs to his receivers. Moreover, it also gives their quarterback room some more experience which they can use to run more effective schemes come the regular season and playoffs.
Carson Wentz is just the third new face entering the Chiefs because of NFL Free Agency. Only he along with Hollywood Brown and Irv Smith are the ones who will need some time to acclimate to Coach Andy Reid's style of play. There will be other players coming along down the line, especially with the 2024 NFL Draft looming.
Furthermore, the Chiefs now have four quarterbacks on their roster. Wentz will join a quarterback room with Patrick Mahomes, Chris Oladokun, and Ian Book. Eventually, some of them will have to get cut to form the 53-man roster but Wentz has proven that he can still ball out despite his age.
What are the Chiefs getting out of Wentz?
Outside of his veteran acumen and ability to run mostly any type of offense, Wentz still produces big numbers. His last stint saw him be the backup for Matthew Stafford in the Los Angeles Rams system. He only played two games but was able to throw for 163 passing yards while netting a 70.8% completion percentage.
Wentz is also just two seasons removed from recording 27 touchdowns and seven interceptions with the Indianapolis Colts. He was also able to put up 3,536 passing yards on a 94.6 rating. All of these will be crucial in testing out plays and suiting up for when the Chiefs' superstar will not be able to play.
Moreover, the most important thing that the Chiefs will get out of him is his winning mentality. Wentz has a Super Bowl under his belt and a Pro Bowl nod. Both prove that he can play winning football despite facing tough defensive linemen and secondaries in his career. His age may wither attributes like athleticism and body control but his mentality only ever got stronger. A guy who experienced the top of football immortality and learned a lot along the way is exactly what the Chiefs need.