Early Days in the NFL for Wentz
Carson Wentz has had an up and down professional career thus far. He has shown the ability to be an elite player who is capable of putting a team on his back. He has also displayed inconsistencies in recent years. This has led many to wonder if he can be a franchise quarterback in the NFL.
Wentz was selected second overall by the Philadelphia Eagles in the 2016 NFL Draft. He was picked there in the hopes of being a cornerstone for the franchise to build around for years to come. That seemed to be coming true earlier than expected. The quarterback was playing at an MVP level in 2017. He, unfortunately, tore his ACL that year which put an end to the hopes for that award and the season as well. Nick Foles would end up replacing him after that. All Foles did was lead the Eagles to a Super Bowl victory and also happened to be named MVP of that game.
All that success was short-lived for the franchise though. The team was facing down an unprecedented quarterback battle. They had to make a choice to either go back to their franchise guy in Wentz or roll with the hot hand in Foles. The Eagles eventually decided to give the keys back to Wentz. Philadelphia decided to let Foles walk after his contract expired after the 2018 season.
Wentz to the Colts
The Eagles would later regret that decision. Wentz was never the same in Philadelphia after he returned from injury. He only threw for more than 4,000 yards one out of his last three years with the team. That led many to question if the club made the right choice at quarterback. It was tough to say at first, but as Foles’ performance began to decline, the Eagles learned there was no winning option. The franchise determine it was time to move on from Wentz and traded him to the Indianapolis Colts this offseason.
This seemed like a perfect fit for both parties. The Eagles received draft capital and cleared cap space with Wentz’s departure. The Colts were also happy. It was a reunion for the quarterback and his former offensive coordinator and now head coach Frank Reich. The two were in Philadelphia together during that 2017 season. This meant that Wentz had a chance to return to that level of performance once again.
This season has been a rocky one for the Colts. Wentz was hit hard with the injury bug. He actually managed to play a game with two sprained ankles. That was impressive. Maybe a bit stupid, but showed his commitment. His stats have not been too bad this year either. He has thrown for 1,695 YDS and 11 TD with only 1 INT through seven games. The club, however, has only won three games so far.
Can Wentz Be the Colts’ Franchise Quarterback?
This question seems to follow Wentz around his entire career. The talent is clearly there. He can make any throw he wants to in a game. He is also a big quarterback. Wentz is 6′ 5″ and weighs 237 pounds. Add in his natural athletism with that and you have an ideal quarterback on paper. This problem is the game is played on a field rather than a desk.
Wentz is extremely confident and is willing to put his body on the line for his team. This has been one of his biggest problems though. He has been injured multiple times in his career. A lot of this is because he is so big. He believes he can take a hit and bounce back up just like he did in college. Well, there is a difference between playing at North Dakota State and in the NFL. Defenses are bigger and much faster in the league.
The determining factor for Wentz’s career is not physical. It all centers around his play style. If he continues to play with the same recklessness, he will not be around for too long. He can stick around for another decade though. All he has to do is swallow some pride and realize that being on the field gives the teams the best chance to win. This will be tough for him to do, but it needs to happen if he wants to remain in the league for years to come.
Closing Thoughts
This article was published on the Belly Up Sports website and specifically its NFL page. Belly Up Sports also has a Twitter page where you can interact with the network. I also have written for this outlet before so see my most recent story if you would like. If you would like to talk to me directly, feel free to chat with me on my Twitter as well. Try to keep it clean and proper. If you are incapable of doing so, ignore that completely and battle it out with me. Just a few warnings for those who dare challenge me. I am highly competitive and hate to admit when I am wrong. So be prepared for a war of words.
