Washington Commanders: Carson Wentz Underwhelming in Training Camp, Sam Howell Showing Promise

The Washington Commanders made an interesting move when they traded multiple day two picks for quarterback Carson Wentz. Wentz ended the 2021 season in such a catastrophic way, that it’s a surprising any team was willing to trade that much for him. Especially when you factor in the massive contract that Wentz is under. The Commanders obviously believed that Wentz could be the guy at quarterback. Do they still believe that after seeing him in action?

The Colts once shared this belief, as they traded a first- and third-round pick for Carson Wentz last off-season. Things went well, for the most part, as the team was sitting at 9-6 after a Christmas Day victory against the Arizona Cardinals. Unfortunately for Wentz, that was the last win he would witness as a Colt. Down the stretch against the Raiders and Jaguars, Wentz made a number of boneheaded plays, leading to the Colts missing the playoffs for the third time in four seasons.

As the off-season opened up, the chatter around Wentz was louder than ever. Many in the Indianapolis media reported that the Colts could potentially cut Carson Wentz if they couldn’t find a trade suitor. The situation was that dire. You know what they say, though, one man’s trash is another man’s treasure. The Commanders opted to send not one, but two draft picks to the Colts in exchange for the polarizing signal-caller, bringing him back to the NFC East.

The front office, coaching staff, and roster all welcomed Wentz with open arms, and have all been incredibly supportive of him thus far. I mean, all things considered, his 2021 campaign statistically was nowhere near the mess it’s made out to be. He matched his career completion percentage, and also posted a 27:7 TD:INT ratio, which is reminiscent of his best seasons with Philadelphia. Much of the dissension between Wentz and the Colts had more to do with off-field issues.

Wentz is a great teammate, few if any have ever said otherwise. But, he is not everyone’s cup of tea when it comes to front office’s and coaching staff’s. There’s no concrete answer on exactly why Wentz and the Colts’ brass failed to see eye-to-eye, but his COVID stance, along with his tendency to shrink in big moments are thought to be the leading cause. There was still enough good that shined through, and the Commanders were hoping that another change of scenery will bring Wentz all the way back to form.

Washington Commanders: Wentz Disappoints Early in Training Camp, Howell Impresses

Early indications show that Wentz is having a rough time getting his footing at Commanders’ training camp. His timing is off with receivers, as he constantly has been throwing too far behind or too far ahead of them. This is an example of something that Wentz must improve. It doesn’t show up in the box score, but many times over the past few seasons, he has struggled putting the ball in a place where his receiver can create after the catch.

There’s nothing more frustrating than calling the perfect play, having everything come to fruition, but the throw is a tic late. Football is such a precise sport that any lag can be fatal to the teams success. On a key fourth quarter drive in week 17, Wentz did this exact thing. It ultimately killed the drive, rather than extending it with a first down. If you’ve been following along, you know this resulted in a demoralizing loss.

One other thing that could be a hamper on Wentz leading up to the season is simply the presence of rookie Sam Howell. Sure, Howell went on day three of the draft, but Wentz has been weird about little stuff like that. For instance, once the Eagles drafted Jalen Hurts, Wentz never quite looked the same when it came to confidence. I wouldn’t say the quarterback needs coddled, but there’s certainly something to this.

Speaking of Sam Howell, is there any chance that he earns the starting role in 2022? I’d say it’s slim right now, but the former UNC Tar Heel has impressed at training camp. He had one of the prettiest deep ball’s of any quarterback I’ve personally evaluated over the past three draft cycles, and he’s used that to ooh and awe those in attendance. Howell is also deceptively athletic and is a strong leader of the locker room. He’s smart and brings a work ethic that is infectious to all those around him.

He entered the 2021 college football season as one of the betting favorites to go No. 1 overall in the 2022 NFL Draft. He didn’t progress as well as evaluators would have liked, leading to a free fall down the draft board when the event finally came around. Howell remained raw in his pre-snap responsibilities and overall technique in and outside of the pocket. Too often in his life, Howell has been able to “out-talent” his competitors, but that doesn’t work as well in the NFL where everyone is just as talented.

In order for Howell to supplant not only Carson Wentz, but also backup Taylor Heinicke, he will have to grow at an alarming rate this preseason and into the regular season. The odds are against him being able to do so, but if Wentz implodes yet again, the team might be inclined to send Howell out there if the season is already lost. They have incentive to pull the plug on Wentz if they aren’t winning, because if he plays in 70% of the teams snaps in 2022, the Colts will get a second-round pick, rather than a third.

Keep your eyes peeled for the remainder of training camp and the preseason. It’s unlikely that Howell will take the job before Wentz gets a chance to prove himself, but it is a very short leash. Should Wentz fail to impress, or if the team starts out with a terrible record, it could shift to Howell at that point. You almost never find a starting caliber player at quarterback that late in the draft, but the Commanders have nothing to lose by finding out what Howell can do.