Indianapolis Colts Set to Make Big Roster Move on Quarterback Carson Wentz
The Indianapolis Colts could be making a big move on their starting quarterback. According to Chris Mortensen of ESPN, (per CBS Sports), Carson Wentz will likely be traded or released by Mar. 18. The reason the Colts will make the move by Mar. 18 is that is the day that Wentz's $22 million base salary for the 2022 season will become fully guaranteed. Wentz is also set to make a $6.29 million signing bonus on that day.
The Colts will still owe Wentz some money if they were to cut him. If Wentz is released before Mar. 18, the Colts will still have to pay him $15 million in base salary. However, they would be off the hook for the other $13.29 million, which means it's likely Wentz could be on the move. The Colts traded for Wentz last offseason for a 2021 third-round pick and a 2022 conditional second-round pick. In his first season with the Colts, Wentz completed 62.4% of his passes while throwing for 3,563 yards, 27 touchdowns and seven interceptions with a 94.6 passer rating. In the final game of the season, Wentz threw for 185 yards, one touchdown and one interception in a loss to the Jacksonville Jaguars, and the team missed out on the playoffs.
Before the 2021 season, Wentz spoke to Valley News Live about how excited he was to join the Colts after starting his career with the Philadelphia Eagles. "I really feel like I have a new passion for the game," Wentz said, per NBC Sports Philadelphia. "Now that I've seen — I've been the high, I've been injured, I've been benched, I've been traded, I've kind of seen a lot in five years. Whatever the game throws at me, I'm ready. And it's kind of given me a new level of excitement for football.
"Obviously I'm excited to be with my former OC, Coach Frank Reich, I just love that man to death. Met a lot of new faces in Indy, a lot of people that I'm really fired up to play with, and play for, and the organization seems awesome."
Wentz was drafted by the Eagles No. 2 overall in 2016. He was part of the Super Bowl championship team in 2017 but didn't play in the big game due to him suffering a torn ACL towards the end of the regular season. In his career, Wentz has thrown at 20,374 yards and 140 touchdowns.