Carson Wentz's contract isn't a factor in Colts QB decision
 

https://www.indystar.com/story/sport...on/6817937001/


IANAPOLIS — The speculation around Carson Wentz’s future is rising again.

The first time the topic got hot was right at the end of the regular season, when Colts head coach Frank Reich and general manager Chris Ballard declined to commit to Wentz as the team’s starter in 2022. The burner started turning red again on Super Bowl Sunday, when ESPN’s Chris Mortensen reported that Wentz’s future in Indianapolis “looks bleak.”

A team source indicated to IndyStar that no firm decisions have been made on Wentz or any other Colts player.

But the report, the lack of certainty from the team’s chief decision-makers and the way the passing game became a dead weight Indianapolis couldn’t overcome have made Wentz’s future a hot topic on every podcast, talk radio and TV show that covers the NFL.


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A surprising line of thinking has emerged in some places.

The idea the Colts wouldn’t be able move on from Wentz because of his contract.

Wentz is due to count a little more than $28 million against the salary cap in 2022, a figure the Colts would be able to escape completely if Wentz is traded — unless Indianapolis made a deal with the acquiring team to offset some of that hit — and a figure that would cost the Colts $15 million in dead money if the team released its starter by March 18.


There’s not a whole lot of evidence to support the idea that Wentz’s contract would somehow keep Indianapolis from making a move at quarterback.

First of all, Colts owner Jim Irsay has repeatedly said he’ll do whatever it takes to avoid a repeat of 2021’s collapse in 2022, and absorbing a $15 million hit would fall under the umbrella of “whatever it takes.”


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That’s exactly how Irsay and the Colts should view this situation.

If Indianapolis decides to move on from Wentz and can’t find a trade partner — a distinct possibility, given the number of teams that need quarterbacks this offseason and the lack of obvious options available — that $15 million dead hit shouldn’t make the Colts blink at all.


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For starters, the $15 million dead hit also comes with $13 million in salary cap savings, savings that would push the team’s available cap space to something close to $50 million in money, plenty of room to add a quarterback and make other upgrades to the roster.

Beyond that, the Colts haven’t blinked at the costs of making a necessary quarterback move in the past. When Indianapolis decided to sign Philip Rivers after a similar collapse in the passing game in 2019, Jacoby Brissett was still on the roster and on the team’s salary cap rolls to the tune of more than $21 million.

In other words, more than the dead hit Indianapolis would have to incur to release Wentz.

The Colts signed Rivers anyway and carried more than $50 million of cap space at the quarterback position.

But the urgency of the situation and the historical precedent Indianapolis has already set are not the only two reasons that Irsay and the Colts are making the right move to ignore Wentz’s contract in their decision-making process this offseason.


From a philosophical standpoint, the Colts are making the right move.

Holding onto a player simply because of the assets involved in acquiring the player is the football equivalent of the economic concept of sunk cost fallacy. If the Colts believe they can get better by moving on from Wentz, a price they’ve already proven they can handle should have no bearing on the decision. The same goes for the draft picks Indianapolis gave up to get him.

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The only way Wentz’s contract might matter is in a trade with a new team, a team that might not want to pay the twice-deposed starter $28 million in 2022, even though it wouldn’t cost his new team — or the Colts, for that matter — any money to release Wentz after the 2022 season. If that’s a concern, there would be ways for Wentz’s new team to get some relief.

The Colts could decide to pay part of the costs, the way the Broncos did to trade Von Miller to the Rams this season. Wentz could also agree to a restructured contract, a move Nick Foles made when the Jaguars traded him to the Bears in 2020.

And that Foles trade might be the precedent that renders all of this speculation moot anyway.

When the Jaguars decided to move past Foles, he was one year into a big free agent contract. Moving him meant Jacksonville would have to take an $18.75 million dead hit, and Foles had lost his job to Gardner Minshew. Based on the way some people are talking about the Wentz situation, Foles shouldn’t have been tradeable, either.

The Jaguars found a way to move on.

The Colts can, too. A sunk cost shouldn’t get in the way.

I am torn. I don't see a real upgrade being available, and I despise the idea of tanking. I feel like we are stuck and this loser is actually our best option, and not a very good one. That said, I like the idea of trading him, and saving the $28M, and looking to upgrade other areas and sign a competent veteran as a stop-gap.

I like your thinking but think that quality free agents are going to be a tough sell for a club without a QB

$28 million in monopoly money. Its beer nuts if they can get the right guy. Its the money Jim finds in his couch cushions when the Rolling Stones head home after a long week end

Same problem if we keep Wentz.

Yes, but this is not MLB or NBA money.

Come on, they will redo other contracts and find a way. The Rams just won a super bowl with no draft picks and a bulging salary cap.

Cutting/trading Wentz is what they will do.

I'm not torn. Even if they go with a washed up retread, maybe that guy can figure out how to play with a running game and can make simple plays that punish teams for stacking the box. And if that guy ends up sucking, at least they'll have a high draft pick next season for a QB.

That is where I am at on this. However, if they trot Wentz back out there, I am hoping he figures out how to make the easy play. He missed a lot of opportunities to do so because he was always trying to hit the long pass play instead. If that is fixable, he could do well here. His tendencies show that he cannot do so, so I am ready to see who the next QB is going to be.

It's not about how Irsay spends his money, it's about how Wentz's cap hit could be going to a player(s) who could make a positive impact instead of just sucking like Wentz.

Unfortunately though, you and Racehorse are probably right in that as of now Wentz is probably our least worst option. So we're probably stuck with his worthless ass for at least another year :mad:

Teams find away around cap problems all the time. It didnt stop the rams from winning the super bowl

I think he’s done there are other options out there

I think we end up with Jimmy g

I sure hope not. That would be silly to trade more draft picks for a less than lateral move at the position.

You think Wentz is better?

Jimmy is a career 68% comp guy played behind Brady coached by Belicheck and Shanahan with alot of recent playoff experience

What’s Wentz have 1 career playoff game?

Can’t trust that dude to beat the raiders at home I’d hate to see him in his first real playoff game

Wentz has a bigger upside. They are about the same now. Wentz has better stats on a weaker offense with less weapons and a worse Oline than SF.

We would have to trade for JG and trade release Wentz. So we would have money wrapped up in Wentz guaranteed money this yr, JGs contract and will have to trade for him. We have already used a 1st and a 3rd. Now what will the trade be for LG? a first again? A couple of 2nds? a second and a third?

No matter what thay is way to much to give up for an average QB.

No JG is not the answer and would be an extremely bad decision by the FO

Reportedly, SF is asking for a Day 2 pick (2nd/3rd round) + an additional asset for JG. If that is their asking price, that means they are being offered less. However, the market for JG probably won't fully take shape until the bigger dominoes fall or are ruled as unavailable (Wilson, Watson, Rodgers, etc).

Last year's Darnold trade is probably a comp - a 2nd, a 4th and a 6th.

I disagree if he’s a perfect match to run the offense the way it needs to be ran, I don’t care what we invested in Wentz it was a bad move fold that hand before the turn we’ve seen what he has to offer and he’s not gonna get any better.

Jimmy gets the ball out quick and doesn’t care about being the face of a team he doesn’t come with the #1 overall pick mentality like Wentz feeling like he has to justify his career with every throw he just wants to win anything less then a superbowl is considered a failure for Jimmy just making the playoffs is the bar for Wentz

Might as well keep Wentz, whats he done for the 49ners? He will be on the IR before the 3rd game

Superbowl and 2 NFC championship games in the last 3 years

He didnt play in the super bowl, he held a clip board.

https://www.pro-football-reference.c...G/GaroJi00.htm

He has only played 2 seasons where he was in 15 games

Nice try, thanks for playing

Cmon man so I was dreaming when he was the starting QB fir the 49ers and they blew a lead vs Mahomes

So Deebo and the rest of the 9ers are coming with him? They are A LOT more stacked than the colts are right now. He is not going to do the same in Indy

You are trading apples for apples. Not a good idea. Roll with Wentz of find an upgrade. Jimmy, is better looking than Carson But thats all he has on him. He is NOT a better QB Give me Wentz 10 out of 10 over Jimmy. Unless I need a wingman of course

o


Garoppolo played in all 16 games in the 49ers' Super Bowl season, plus all 3 post-season games (including the Super Bowl.)

I'm not necessarily saying that Garoppolo is the answer for the Colts in 2022, but your claim is incorrect.

o

He didnt play in 2 super bowls

o


I didn't say that he played in 2 Super Bowls, and neither did the other poster whom you responded to.

The other poster specifically said that he played in a Super Bowl and 2 conference championship games in the last 3 years, which he did.




You specifically said that he didn't play in the Super Bowl, that he held a clip-board, which is not true.





Your post/claim was incorrect.

o

That’s false Deebo had 1700 scrimmage yards JT had 1800
Kittle had 900 yards receiving Pittman had 1000

So very similar both teams had 2 primary weapons

How are we discounting the dudes playoff experience, completion percentage, quick passing game is what he’s all about he’s the anti hold the ball for 6 seconds and throw up a prayer that Wentz is

Keep going

That's a ridiculous statement. While Jimmy G isn't great, he's not one of the worst projected starting QBs in the league like Wentz is.

So you'd rather have the Colts cut Wentz and have his $15M in guaranteed salary hit the cap than trade him and move that $15M to another team? That's pretty fucking stupid Jaff.

Again, the rams give up picks and swallow contracts and they won a super bowl. Its not MY money. Think the colts will lower ticket prices when they are under the cap?

Its not YOUR money, let Irsay worry about it

You do realize that it's better for the Colts to not have dead money against the cap on a player they've dump right? JFC you're stupid.

How are you judging these QB's to say Wentz is one of the worst?

I’m not interested in short term answers. Rather roll with Wentz. I don’t like the guy but don’t think he is as bad as most fans do. Still think we can win with him at QB IF he is surrounded by a good team. Get a decent pass blocking line and some receivers and maybe he is isn’t shit. There is no great option

No, I dont care about someone else’s money. The cap will be going up, with pandemic rules easing, more people will be attending and more money will be made.

You want a qb that can win? Well you either suck and get a high pick or you spend a shit ton of $$$$ and draft picks to buy him. Sucking for a year kicks the can down the road and it doesnt guarantee you shit. The Colts need a QB now, so its either trading talent + cash + draft picks to get an established guy or a place in the draft where you get the guy you want right now.

Is there a qb who the Colts can buy right now? Make a run at Aaron Rodgers. Go buy that douche bag with the Texans. I bet they might pay the Colts to take him. The Colts need a QB NOW. Its risk reward, it always has been. You want a big reward, it will take a big risk. Would I trade an entire year of draft picks for Rickie Williams? Nope. For Peyton Manning? Hell yes.

It is going to take picks and cash to

A) move up in the draft, or
B) sign a free agent (see Bradys last contract) or
C) trade for a guy like Stafford

https://www.cbssports.com/nfl/news/m...-lions-for-qb/

If there is another option, lets hear it.

Why do the Colts keep saying no decision has been made on Carson Wentz? If you are seriously considering keeping him for next season, you are not building confidence or loyalty with a comment like that! If they decide to keep him, they will wish they would had said Carson is our QB from the beginning. Because if they keep him, Wentz is just going to feel like they only kept him because there was no better option...the relationship with Wentz is being destroyed with these non committal comments!

They either know they are not keeping him and just won't say, or they are being very foolish with these comments that serve no purpose in my opinion, and will only hurt their relationship with Wentz in the future!

Stampede blue did analytics on Wentz every week and the last week they did a summation of the season at the end of the page. It did not paint a pretty picture. Basically he was around the 20-25 range on most areas and about 27th in accuracy.

When you add in other factors like he was one of the worst QBs in the league after halftime and in the 3rd quarter. No 4th quarter comebacks. Won’t throw outlet passes. The mechanics issues. The QBing issues Warner pointed out. The guy is just a mess and not worth the money or the trade capital.

https://www.stampedeblue.com/2022/1/...racker-week-18

o


As others have pointed out, it's a team game. In the middle of the season, the 49ers got dominated on both sides of the ball by the Colts on national television to drop their overall record to 2-4. They looked like a team headed for a looooong, painful season ...... how many people would have believed that the 'Niners would go 8-4 over their remaining 12 games, make it to the NFC championship game, and go right down to the wire with the eventual world-champion Rams ??? Probably very few, outside of the 49ers themselves and their immediate relatives. As you are pointing out, things need to be looked at in overall context, not just based upon cherry-picked facts that would appear to prove whatever point they are making.

Garoppolo may wind up having a stellar career when all is said and done, but at this point it is far too early to presume that he will based on his team's success in 2 out of the last 3 years ...... just like it's too soon to presume that he will always fail in crunch-time based on his missing an open receiver in the end-zone which would have all but clinched the Super Bowl against the Chiefs 2 years ago.

o