Does Carson Wentz Need To Be 2017 Self For Commanders to Succeed?

Some high expectations for the former No. 2 pick.

Jeremy Brener | Jun 20, 2022

The Washington Commanders need newly-acquired quarterback Carson Wentz to play well if the team wants to return to the playoffs in 2022.

After being drafted second overall by the Philadelphia Eagles in 2016, Wentz is no stranger to high expectations being placed upon him.

In his second NFL season in 2017, Wentz was playing at an MVP-like pace before a torn ACL cut his season short. The Eagles went on to win the Super Bowl that year thanks to a strong defense and Nick Foles' heroics as Wentz's backup.

If Wentz can repeat that same magic with the Commanders in 2022, another former No. 2 pick thinks things could be hot in Washington.

“The Washington Commanders have surprise Super Bowl contender written all over them,” Robert Griffin III said on ESPN’s NFL Live last month. “The reason they went and got Carson Wentz is because if he plays like he did last year they will at least be in playoff contention because it was better than the quarterback play they had last year.”

The Commanders missed the playoffs last season with a 7-10 record led by quarterback Taylor Heinicke. Washington was originally supposed to have veteran journeyman Ryan Fitzpatrick as the team's starter, but after a hip injury suffered in the first game of the season, the team had to move on to Heinicke.

Heinicke performed well for a backup, but the Commanders felt an upgrade was necessary. That's why they traded for the former MVP candidate, in hopes that he may recreate his 2017 magic.

Published Jun 20, 2022

JEREMY BRENER

Jeremy Brener is an editor, writer and social media manager for several Fan Nation websites. His work has also been featured in 247 Sports and SB Nation as a writer and podcaster. Brener has been with Fan Nation since 2021. Brener grew up in Houston, going to Astros, Rockets and Texans games as a kid. He moved to Orlando in 2016 to go to college and pursue a degree. He hosts "The Dream Take" podcast covering the Rockets, which has produced over 350 episodes since March 2020. Brener graduated in May 2020 from the University of Central Florida with a Bachelor's degree in Broadcast Journalism minoring in Sport Business Management. While at UCF, Brener worked for the school's newspaper NSM.today and "Hitting the Field," a student-run sports talk show and network. He was the executive producer for "Hitting the Field" from 2019-20. During his professional career, Brener has covered a number of major sporting events including the Pro Bowl, March Madness and several NBA and NFL games. As a fan, Brener has been to the 2005 World Series, 2010 FIFA World Cup and the 2016 NCAA National Championship between the Villanova Wildcats and North Carolina Tar Heels. Now, Brener still resides in the Central Florida area and enjoys writing, watching TV, hanging out with friends and going to the gym. Brener can be followed on Twitter @JeremyBrener. For more inquiries, please email jeremybrenerchs@gmail.com.