Wentz to reportedly miss at least a month with fractured finger originally appeared on NBC Sports Washington
Carson Wentz’s fractured ring finger is going to, at the very least, significantly break up his first season with the Commanders.
Wentz is reportedly going to miss four to six weeks due to the ailment, which he suffered last Thursday in an unsightly win over the Bears. NFL Network’s Ian Rapoport was first to publicize that timeline, and he later tweeted that Wentz’s injury will require surgery.
Taylor Heinicke, who logged 16 starts for Washington in 2021, will ascend to the top of the depth chart as Wentz’s absence begins. Heinicke’s stint as the primary signal caller will open Week 7 at FedEx Field against the Packers.
Considering the state of the team’s offensive line, the mobile Heinicke could actually represent an upgrade over Wentz, who was originally brought in, of course, to serve as an upgrade over Heinicke. That’s a topic that can and will be debated elsewhere.
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Unfortunately for Wentz, being sidelined until roughly mid-to-late November will likely complicate his already shaky standing with his current organization and the NFL overall.
After being shipped out of both Philadelphia and Indianapolis, Wentz’s time in Washington has widely been viewed as his last real chance to establish himself as a worthy investment at the sport’s most crucial position.
Unfortunately, Wentz peaked with a four-touchdown outing versus the Jaguars in Week 1. Since that entertaining debut, the 29-year-old has been more burden than boost for the offense.
Yes, Wentz’s protection has routinely let him down, but he, too, has failed to ably scan through his progressions and throw with acceptable accuracy. At this stage, his flaws are simultaneously well-known and debilitating, making him hard to trust as the guy.
Therefore, unless Wentz is inserted back into the lineup later this season and is unsurprisingly much improved — the former is definitely not a given, by the way, seeing as the club might have more interest in evaluating Sam Howell for the future than it does in watching more Wentz should Heinicke falter — it appears probable that he’ll soon be on the move once again.
After all, once 2022 concludes, the franchise can get out of the veteran’s contract without any financial punishment. In that event, his next payday will be rather meager compared to his present salary.
Maybe Wentz, coordinator Scott Turner and the offensive line were about to figure out a way to make it all work on their side of the ball. The odds of that, though, seemed slim, and now, Wentz’s injured finger has interrupted that mission. Just how far it sidetracks his career remains to be seen.
