Carson Wentz could be the perfect backup in 2023
Washington Commanders quarterback Carson Wentz could be released at the end of the year, and he could make sense as the Broncos’ QB2 in 2023. One name that I believe the Broncos will heavily consider for their head coaching search is Frank Reich, who most recently served as head coach of the Indianapolis Colts.
He’s got a small connection with Peyton Manning and a track record of working well with veteran quarterbacks. The fit between Reich, Russell Wilson, and the Denver Broncos makes a ton of sense. I do think he’ll, at the very least, end up being a finalist for the position.
An underrated position that the Broncos will need to put some effort into is the backup quarterback spot. Brett Rypien is simply not good enough to serve as the backup. If Wilson stumbles in 2023, having a strong backup may allow the Broncos to continue being competitive.
Also, having a legitimate backup to put a bit of heat on Russell Wilson could be a good thing. Carson Wentz began his career with the Philadelphia Eagles in 2016, and put up MVP caliber numbers in 2017 while Frank Reich was the offensive coordinator.
Wentz has since been traded twice, most recently to the Washington Commanders, and it’s become abundantly clear that Wentz is at his best when working with Frank Reich. Carson Wentz has no more guaranteed money remaining on his contract, and if Washington decides to release or trade him in 2023, they’d save over $25 million against their salary cap.
I think unless Wentz makes a good run during the final stretch for the Commanders and perhaps even leads a deep playoff push, we’ll see the quarterback on his fourth team in as many years.
I think this would be a perfect scenario for the Broncos, given they hire Frank Reich. Think about it.
Reich comes in as the head coach and the team signs Wentz to be the backup. If Wilson ends up playing well again in 2023, the team still has a very reliable QB2 to fall back on if injury or poor play happens.
Conversely, if Wilson continues to play poorly in 2023, the team could turn to Wentz who has shown the ability to be very effective with Frank Reich. I also think this could pave the way for Wentz to possibly be a short-term solution for the team if Russell Wilson is indeed over the hump and washed up.