Newest Washington Commanders quarterback Carson Wentz met the D.C. media Thursday.
The Colts sent Wentz to the Washington Commanders for third-round picks in 2022 and 2023. The 2023 third-rounder can become a second-round selection If Wentz plays 70% of Washington’s snaps. The teams also swapped second-round picks in 2022.
Last season, the Colts needed to win one of their final two games to make the playoffs, and unfortunately, Indy lost both games, including a loss to the lowly Jaguars.
The Colts had enough of Wentz and shipped him to Washington after one season with the team.
On Thursday, Wentz, who threw for 3563 yards, 27 touchdowns, and only seven interceptions in 2021, discussed what may have gone wrong in Indy.
“It’s a great question. It’s a great question. And completely fair question,” he said. “And sometimes I wonder the same. To be honest, I think it was a year that had highs and lows, ups and downs. The way we finished, the way I finished was poor, And I think that definitely was tough to swallow and tough to finish like that. Especially when we thought we had a chance to really do something special and make a run. We just kind of collapsed, and I didn’t play good enough, well enough at the end there. Things happen. I always believe things happen for a reason. And you get an opportunity, still got an opportunity to come out and prove myself and play the game that I love. I look forward to doing that.”
Throughout his career, Wentz’s leadership skills have been called into question, which he addressed Thursday.
“Yeah. So for one, reports are reports, and there’s truth in some things all those things,” Wentz said. “If we were in this business trying to combat and argue every report, we’d run out of things to say, you know? And so for me, I just try and be myself, be myself, get to know the guys, build the relationships. I strongly feel I had amazing relationships with people in Philly and people in Indy. Loved my time there. To your first part of the question, I mean, knowing that you’re wanted and feeling that support from everybody in the organization means a lot. It allows you to go play confidently freely, which I think ultimately will allow me to play my best ball and try and elevate everybody around me to the full extent that I can. And I look forward to doing that.”
The six-year veteran will have an opportunity to play in the NFC East and play the team that selected him with the number two overall pick in the 2016 NFL Draft, the Philadelphia Eagles.
According to Wentz, it will be weird for him to return to Lincoln Financial Field as a visitor.
“Yeah. I’m excited. I’m excited, coming back to the East, a lot of good memories,’ he said. “Spent a lot of time in this division, obviously, back to number 11, what feels like home to me. I’m excited a lot of familiarity; obviously, things change, teams change, defenses have changed, coaches change, but obviously the same rivalries and all those things. I’ll admit, it will be weird that first time going to the Linc [Lincoln Financial Field], I’m sure I’ll hear a little bit of everything. Definitely am aware of that. I embrace it. I embrace it. It’s exciting. I try and keep all those things at bay and just, Hey, just football, just go play ball. And all the outside noise will take care of itself.”
