According to NFL Media, the Washington Commanders are anticipated to start Taylor Heinicke over Carson Wentz going forward, making this a significant quarterback change for the team. Wentz is still sidelined due to the finger injury, but when he returns, it’s anticipated that he will be the backup.
Taylor Heinicke Will Be Replacing Carson Wentz
Since replacing Wentz as the starter, Heinicke has a 3-1 record; his most recent performance resulted in a 32-21 victory over the previously unbeaten Philadelphia Eagles. Taylor Heinicke has made four starts this season and has completed 62 percent of his passes for 210 passing yards per game while throwing five touchdowns and four interceptions.
After Ryan Fitzpatrick suffered a season-ending injury in Week 1, Heinicke served as Washington’s starter for almost the entirety of 2021. It was clear that Washington would be looking for a new starting quarterback in the offseason despite the fact that the former Old Dominion standout went 7-8 as the starter and threw for 3,419 yards, 20 touchdowns, and 15 interceptions.
As the starting quarterback for Washington to open the year, Wentz, the former No. 2 overall choice of the Eagles, went 2-4 and has completed 62.1 percent of his passes for 10 touchdowns and six interceptions while averaging 248.2 passing yards per game. A staggering 23 times were also used to sack him.
It’s a significant move for Ron Rivera, the head coach of the Commanders, whose belief in Wentz appeared to openly wane at various points throughout the season. Rivera bragged that, unlike everyone else, he had no qualms about the Commanders’ new quarterback when Washington made the divisive choice to trade for Wentz, who had already played his final game with the Indianapolis Colts.
Many people will applaud this decision because Taylor Heinicke is the tenacious underdog who, thanks to his spirit of competition, has swiftly become a fan favorite. The Commanders are undoubtedly in a good mood right now, but it remains to be seen how long he can keep this position.
