Washington has been looking for a franchise quarterback for over a decade. Their attempts haven’t produced much. However, the Commanders believed they have found a quarterback who can lead them to a much-needed playoff victory. Carson Wentz is the offense’s leader, and yet, it seems he is still not the right quarterback for Washington. The right quarterback has been in the building for over two years, and his name is Taylor Heinicke.
Taylor Heinicke vs Carson Wentz 2021 Stats
For the 2021 season, Heinicke and Wentz both were not top-tier quarterbacks. Heinicke led Washington to a 7-10 season completing 65% of his passes for 3419 yards and 20 touchdowns paired with 15 interceptions.
Wentz led his former team the Indianapolis Colts to a 9-8 record completing 62.4% percent of his passes for 3563 yards and 27 touchdowns paired with 7 interceptions. Furthermore, Wentz was blamed for the downfall of the Colts as they missed the playoffs as a result of their own demise.
The difference between the two quarterbacks in terms of 2021 production is not too far wide. Wentz played on a Colts team with the best running back in football last year, Jonathan Taylor. Furthermore, he played behind one of the premier offensive lines in football and had his former offensive coordinator in Philadelphia as his head coach, Frank Reich. Yet, he still could not get the job done.
On the other hand, Heinicke played with an injury-riddled offense. Terry McLaurin was his only true option at receiver. Running back Antonio Gibson was not fully healthy throughout the season. Curtis Samuel is still not in football shape, and tight end Logan Thomas got hurt as well. Furthermore, questionable play calling was at the center of Washington’s offense. The cherry on top is Washington had one of the worst defenses in the NFL while Wentz and the Colts had one of the best defenses.
Heinicke is around $28 million cheaper
Money is a big part of the game in the NFL. Salary caps are constantly being navigated by front offices around the league. How much a player gets paid will return the expectation of production. Therefore, if a player makes a lot of money, expectations are higher, and the probability of underperforming is more likely than if a player gets less money. The player making less money will most likely “beat” expectations, and be undervalued.
The quarterback position gets paid more than any other position in football. Washington went out and traded premier draft capital in order to get Wentz. Furthermore, they cut key personnel in order to make cap space for Wentz and his 12th highest salary among quarterbacks. Therefore, even more, is riding on Wentz being a success.
Heinicke has proved to be a capable quarterback. He might not be a top 10 quarterback, but he does not have to be. The 49ers have been to a Super Bowl and two NFC championships with Jimmy Garoppolo. Nick Foles has won a Super Bowl for the Eagles.
With a team with a variety of glaring weaknesses, spreading the money to a variety of different players seemed to be the best move. However, Washington has a history of impatience and making bad trades, and this could go down as one of those times. They seemed to have outbid themselves from a team desperate to move on Wentz. Will this bring out a quarterback with a chip on his shoulder? It is possible, but when you have a capable quarterback already on the team for a huge discount, why not give it one more year?
Heinicke over Wentz isn’t a knock on Wentz
Saying Taylor Heinicke is a better option at quarterback for the Commanders is not a knock on Wentz. Wentz is an above-average quarterback. He has shown flashes of elite capabilities. He is a former second overall pick, and he was a vital part of the Eagles’ Super Bowl run.
However, Heinicke just seems to be a better fit for the Commanders. In the second preseason game versus the Kansas City Chiefs, Wentz goes 6 for 9 with 64 yards and zero touchdowns. Heinicke would sub in for Wentz to go 9 for 12 for 83 yards and a touchdown. He would be the only quarterback for the Commanders to throw for a touchdown in the game.
Furthermore, the offense seemed to move more fluidly with Heinicke. He moved the ball with ease. One could argue this was because he played against the Chief’s second team, and he has more familiarity than Wentz with the offensive system.
This is all true, however, if Washington is in win now mode, Wentz needs to learn the offense quicker than he is. Growing pains is something Washington can’t afford.
Heinicke simply seems like the best fit for the Commanders.