Carson Wentz No Plans To Retire, Open To ‘Various Roles’

Ian Rapoport of NFL Media reports that free agent QB Carson Wentz was in Indianapolis this week meeting with his agents. 

According to Rapoport, Wentz is “determined to continue” his NFL career and is “open to various roles that can help a team.”

There was some speculation that retirement could be an option for Wentz, given that he’s made a lot of money in the NFL and may not be all that interested in taking on a backup role. 

However, Rapoport’s report implies that Wentz is fine with a backup role with the right team. 

This is going to be an interesting offseason for backup quarterbacks, given the number of guys with starting experience including Jacoby Brissett Wentz, Teddy Bridgewater, Sam Darnold, Mike White, Baker Mayfield, Andy Dalton, Marcus Mariota, Gardner Minshew and Taylor Heinicke among others.

It’s worth mentioning that signing him to a contract won’t impact a team’s 2024 compensatory picks, given that he was released this offseason. 

Wentz, 30, is a former first-round pick of the Eagles back in 2016. He was entering the final year of his four-year, $26.7 million rookie contract that included a $16.7 million signing bonus when the Eagles picked up his fifth-year option that would have cost them $22.78 million for the 2020 season. 

The Eagles signed Wentz to a four-year, $128 million extension going into the 2019 season that included $107 million in guarantees. However, Philadelphia opted to trade Wentz to the Colts for first- and third-round picks.

Wentz lasted just one year with the Colts before he was traded to the Commanders last year. Washington opted to release Wentz last week. 

In 2022, Wentz appeared in eight games for the Commanders and completed 62.3 percent of his passes for 1,755 yards, 11 touchdowns and nine interceptions to go along with 86 yards rushing and a touchdown.