Washington Commanders NFC East Odds After Wentz Trade

Washington's Odds to Win the NFC East Drop After Carson Wentz Trade

The quarterback carousel this offseason is in full force. One day after Green Bay signed Aaron Rodgers to a four-year extension and Seattle dealt Russell Wilson to Denver in a monster deal, Washington acquired Carson Wentz from Indianapolis. Adam Schefter broke the news once again, tweeting that the Commanders were sending two third-round picks (one of which could become a second-round pick with enough playing time) to the Colts for Wentz and a swap of second-round selections.

Can Wentz Lead Washington to its First Postseason Win in 17 Seasons?

Washington has been one of the worst teams in the NFL since Daniel Snyder became the owner. The newly branded Commanders have not won a playoff game since 2005, and they haven’t won more than 10 games in a season since they won the Super Bowl at the end of the 1991 season.

Wentz is the most talented quarterback that Washington has had since the Commanders allowed Kirk Cousins to walk away from the team five years ago. He was one of the NFL’s top signal callers from 2017 to 2019, and the Commanders are rolling the dice that he can rediscover that success just like the Colts did last offseason. The last two years have been rough for Wentz though, and he had an absolute meltdown in the regular season finale against Jacksonville with a playoff spot on the line.

Washington's Super Bowl 57 Outlook

Although fans and pundits alike derisively snicker at Wentz, he is a decent quarterback that can definitely lead a well-rounded team to a division title. Wentz is 44-40-1 in his career, and he posted solid numbers with Indianapolis last season. He threw for over 3,500 yards with 27 touchdowns and seven interceptions, so Washington’s odds to win the Super Bowl have dropped from 50-1 to 40-1 at DraftKings.

The addition of Carson Wentz could take Terry McLaurin’s career to the next level, but Washington doesn’t have a solid second receiver on the roster. Wentz will have to learn to deal with a lot more pressure too, as Washington’s offensive line isn’t in the same class as what he had with the Colts.

If Wentz plays well, this team could win nine or ten games behind a strong defensive line. Washington rode its pass rush to a division title in 2020, but the Commanders took a step back on this side of the ball last year. Chase Young wasn’t as effective and missed half the year due to injury, and Montez Sweat only played in ten games. 

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