Commanders QB Review: 'Change Imminent' After Carson Wentz, Taylor Heinicke Struggle

Inconsistency at the quarterback position ultimately cost the Washington Commanders at the end of the season.

When the Washington Commanders traded for Carson Wentz on Mar. 16, 2022, they believed he would be the quarterback to get them over the hump.

Washington couldn’t have been more wrong.

Wentz went 2-5 as a starter and was likely trending toward the bench if it weren’t for a broken ring finger against the Chicago Bears. Even after he got healthy, Wentz found himself on the bench after Taylor Heinicke went 5-1 in his absence. Heinicke’s struggles led to Wentz becoming the starter again, with Washington’s playoff hopes hanging in the balance against the Cleveland Browns.

Wentz threw three interceptions and only completed 16 of his 28 passes for 143 yards in a 24-10 loss to the Browns. Washington was eliminated from playoff contention later in the day when the Green Bay Packers beat the Minnesota Vikings 41-17.

Wentz finished a season with 11 touchdowns and nine interceptions while throwing for 1,755 yards. It’d be a shock if Wentz finds himself on Washington’s roster next season.

If it weren’t for Heinicke, Washington likely finds itself picking in the top 10 of the 2023 draft.

While his numbers don’t pop off the stat sheet, there’s no disputing the team’s results when he was under center. Heinicke threw for 1,859 yards along with 12 touchdowns compared to six interceptions. He also led the Commanders in a 32-21 win against the Philadelphia Eagles on Nov. 14, which was their first loss of the season.

Washington won five of the first six games Heinicke started before things went downhill. The Commanders tied with the New York Giants before losing to them and the San Francisco 49ers, which led to Wentz becoming the starting quarterback again.

The Commanders potentially got a glimpse toward the future when rookie Sam Howell made his first career start on Jan. 8 against the Dallas Cowboys. Howell completed 11 of his 199 passes for 169 yards, one touchdown and one interception in a 26-6 win against Dallas.

With Heinicke and Wentz’s future up in the air, Howell may have a clear path to being the starting quarterback in 2023. Or, with pressure mounting for Washington to win, they’ll look toward another veteran option like Derek Carr or Jimmy Garappolo. Regardless, change at the quarterback position seems to be imminent. 

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