Would ditching Carson Wentz be a mistake for Colts?

At the end of what seemed like a sure path to the postseason, the Indianapolis Colts stumbled late and fell short, dropping their final two games to the Las Vegas Raiders and the lowly Jacksonville Jaguars. 

Quarterback Carson Wentz threw just two touchdowns and averaged a quarterback rating (QBR) of 80.7 in his final two outings, becoming a convenient scapegoat in the midst of frantic finger-pointing. 

According to a report that came out on Super Bowl Sunday, the Colts are expected to either attempt to trade Wentz or release him before his $15 million contract becomes fully guaranteed on March 19, opting instead to pursue Derek Carr, Aaron Rodgers or another of the high-profile quarterbacks rumored to be available this offseason.

Colin Cowherd spoke about Wentz’s standing in Indianapolis on Tuesday on "The Herd" and encouraged Indy to retain the veteran quarterback, emphasizing the importance of adequate quarterback play. 

"The worst thing in the world is to be in this league with a bad quarterback," Cowherd said. "And you’re just going to throw that guy [Wentz] to the market? That’s nuts to me."

Wentz would be a coveted commodity for NFL franchises searching for a quarterback, according to Cowherd, who added that ditching Wentz would indicate impulsive Colts ownership. 

"If I was Denver and Pittsburgh and didn’t get Aaron Rodgers, I would take Carson Wentz in a New York minute," Cowherd said. 

Cowherd framed his pro-Wentz advocacy around the blind résumé game, comparing a selection of Wentz’s statistics to a nameless NFL quarterback. He demonstrated that Wentz finished with a better passer rating and TD/interception ratio than both 2022 MVP contender Josh Allen and Carr, who is expected to receive a big-money contract extension.

He also displayed Wentz’s superior completion percentage and big-play success when compared to Ryan Tannehill, whom the Tennessee Titans have established is their quarterback moving forward. 

"Ryan Tannehill, who Mike Vrabel, a really good coach, said we’re not going to trade Aaron Rodgers for Ryan Tannehill, we’re comfortable with him winning games," Cowherd said.

Indeed, Wentz stands out as a clutch quarterback. The former North Dakota State gunslinger finished with 22 "big-time throws," more than Tannehill and Lamar Jackson, and just one fewer than Patrick Mahomes. He also posted the ninth-best passer rating under pressure last season, according to PFF.

For his high-pressure heroics, Wentz’s low-error playing style is doubly impressive. He threw just seven interceptions last season, tying for the fourth-fewest picks, and has maintained a stellar 1.9% interception rate since entering the league in 2014.

Wentz’s reliance on Pro Bowl running back Jonathan Taylor, low passing volume and suspect accuracy are substantiated concerns. In his first season away from Philadelphia, Wentz finished with just 322 completions, the fourth-lowest figure in the NFL, and ranked near the bottom in completion percentage and passing yards. 

These concerns also come at a steep cost to the Colts’ bottom line. Wentz will bring a $28.3 million cap hit in 2022, an expense Indy can avoid, minus the minimum salary against the cap, if the QB is traded.

But for Cowherd, despite these reservations, betting on Wentz shouldn't take a second thought.

"I would take him [Wentz] in Denver in a second," Cowherd said. "When Uncle Colin goes blind résumé, you don't want my smoke."