Kansas City signed Carson Wentz as its backup quarterback yesterday. You can be forgiven if you were unaware he was on the market, even with several teams in need of a starter. Even today, the former No. 2 overall pick in the 2016 NFL Draft is not considered a candidate for that role.
It's funny, when you consider how things started out for him. In his second season in Philadelphia, he went 11-2 and was an MVP favorite. The Eagles went on to win the Super Bowl that year (with Nick Foles replacing an injured Wentz), but it seemed like Wentz would go on to have a nice career.
Instead, he was gone from Philadelphia just three years later. The Colts and Commanders both gave him a whirl as a starter, but couldn't get him out of town quick enough. Sean McVay apparently wasn't interested in bringing him back as a backup with the Rams. So now he'll join another guy with an Eagles background, Andy Reid in Kansas City. He'll have a chance at another Super Bowl ring, so there's that.
Wentz has fallen off the starter's map for the same reason some other talented quarterback have: too many turnovers. Of the 21 quarterbacks to play in at least 75 games the last eight years, only one quarterback has a higher number of interceptions and fumbles per game than Wentz, and his starting ship has also sailed: Jameis Winston. Only Russell Wilson has taken more sacks per game than Wentz.
| QB SACKS/INTERCEPTIONS/FUMBLES, 2016-2023 | ||||||
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Player | G | Sk | Fmb | Int | Sk/G | FmbInt/G |
| Jameis Winston | 77 | 168 | 49 | 84 | 2.2 | 1.7 |
| Carson Wentz | 95 | 239 | 72 | 67 | 2.5 | 1.5 |
| Josh Allen | 94 | 175 | 59 | 78 | 1.9 | 1.5 |
| Baker Mayfield | 89 | 210 | 44 | 74 | 2.4 | 1.3 |
| Kirk Cousins | 120 | 262 | 76 | 80 | 2.2 | 1.3 |
| Philip Rivers | 80 | 139 | 29 | 74 | 1.7 | 1.3 |
| Ben Roethlisberger | 78 | 115 | 35 | 64 | 1.5 | 1.3 |
| Matt Ryan | 108 | 270 | 59 | 76 | 2.5 | 1.3 |
| Jared Goff | 117 | 217 | 64 | 82 | 1.9 | 1.2 |
| Derek Carr | 127 | 240 | 67 | 82 | 1.9 | 1.2 |
| Dak Prescott | 114 | 235 | 56 | 74 | 2.1 | 1.1 |
| Lamar Jackson | 86 | 169 | 53 | 45 | 2.0 | 1.1 |
| Russell Wilson | 124 | 363 | 69 | 72 | 2.9 | 1.1 |
| Ryan Tannehill | 91 | 231 | 42 | 61 | 2.5 | 1.1 |
| Andy Dalton | 92 | 208 | 30 | 71 | 2.3 | 1.1 |
| Matthew Stafford | 113 | 269 | 38 | 82 | 2.4 | 1.1 |
| Patrick Mahomes | 96 | 148 | 36 | 63 | 1.5 | 1.0 |
| Marcus Mariota | 78 | 148 | 34 | 45 | 1.9 | 1.0 |
| Tom Brady | 110 | 163 | 33 | 62 | 1.5 | 0.9 |
| Aaron Rodgers | 105 | 225 | 34 | 40 | 2.1 | 0.7 |
| Jacoby Brissett | 79 | 130 | 30 | 23 | 1.6 | 0.7 |
For some reason, I continue to have a soft spot for Wentz. I remember thinking things would work out for him in Indianapolis, and maybe even with Washington. He's firmly a backup, but at least he's with a coach who should have some ability to get solid play out of him if Patrick Mahomes were to get hurt.
But realistically, it's over. With teams like the Broncos, Raiders, Vikings and another team or two having virtually nothing at the quarterback position, the fact that Wentz drew zero interest as a starting option says it all. Not a player anyone will be putting on the field by choice anytime soon.
--Andy Richardson