The Price is Wrong: Commanders Offseason Efforts Slammed

The same narrative with a different, less clever, turn of words

You may or may not have heard, but Washington Commanders quarterback Carson Wentz has some baggage he brought with him from his days with the Philadelphia Eagles and year with the Indianapolis Colts. 

Washington Commanders quarterback, Carson Wentz started his career with the Philadelphia Eagles.

Washington Commanders quarterback Carson Wentz, was traded from the Eagles to the Indianapolis Colts ahead of the 2021 NFL Season.

After one season with Indianapolis, Wentz was again traded, to the Washington Commanders.

To be clear, Wentz didn't bring it with him, the drama followed him. 

And I'll be the first to admit that I too covered, wondered aloud about the issues, and discussed in depth what that drama may mean for the Commanders as they turn to Wentz as an upgrade over 2021 starting quarterback Taylor Heinicke. 

Recently, in what was supposed to be an over/under projection, The Athletic wrote, "Washington’s offseason was like a bad “The Price is Right” experience. All these shiny quarterbacks behind curtains and Washington went home with a used DVD player. The defense is good, but not as good as it thinks it is or has to be to carry this team, and free agency was an exercise in plugging holes as players left — but not all of them."

What really strikes me is the "DVD player" portion of this analysis. 

Who were, "All these shiny quarterbacks..." that Washington could have gone home with? 

Russell Wilson wanted to stay as far west as possible, and there's no mention in the Eagles blurb about that team being rejected in trade efforts. 

Aaron Rodgers chose to stay in Green Bay, Tom Brady unretired to come back to the Bucs after maybe flirting with the Dolphins, Jimmy Garoppolo is still with the 49ers, Derek Carr got an extension, and Deshaun Watson may be talented but is far from shiny.

And I don't believe anyone would be justified in holding it against any franchise for not predicting the eventual availability of Matt Ryan who was traded from the Falcons to the Colts after Atlanta's failed trade bid for Watson. 

Or even Baker Mayfield, who we all presume will be traded but hasn't actually been moved. 

Washington Commanders

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Washington Commanders

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Washington Commanders

We don't have to go to the extremes of predicting a Super Bowl win for the Washington Commanders either, and even double-digit wins feel like a bold prediction until we start seeing some of these additions start fitting together.

And it's certainly possible this Commanders squad will finish with fewer than eight wins. 

But when going about the 2022 NFL season, the Commanders should be judged based on the improvements that they made and not the opportunities that the team may or may not have missed.