Troy Aikman believes Commanders are Carson Wentz’s ‘last opportunity’ to prove he can be a franchise QB

The Washington Commanders reportedly began their 2022 franchise quarterback search with a list of 42 potential prospects. It appeared Ron Rivera and Co. were prepared to look in every nook and cranny to find their new starting signal-caller, even reportedly attempting to seduce Andrew Luck out of retirement. Instead, Washington landed on a quarterback another team was trying to part ways with.

In early March, Washington sent the Indianapolis Colts a second-round pick, third-round pick and a conditional third-round pick in exchange for Carson Wentz and a second-round pick. The former No. 2 overall selection was a one-and-done in Indy after failing to lead the Colts to the playoffs as Philip Rivers did the year before, and the front office came to the conclusion that he was not the quarterback to lead their franchise into the future. Washington feels differently, however, but many believe this could be Wentz’s last chance to serve as a legitimate starter. That’s what Dallas Cowboys legend and new ESPN broadcaster Troy Aikman thinks as well.   

“I think that right now, Carson had an opportunity; it didn’t end well in Philadelphia, of course,” Aikman said Monday, via ESPN transcript (H/T NFL.com). “He then got traded to Indianapolis. Didn’t go great for him there. They decided to make another change at that position, and now he’s landed in Washington.

“This is probably his last opportunity, just being blunt about it, to prove that he can be a franchise quarterback in the NFL.”

Wentz will be playing for his third team in three years, and is charged with leading a franchise that hasn’t won more than seven games in any of the last five campaigns to success. Despite how Wentz has fared over the past two seasons, Rivera is more than confident in his new signal-caller. 

“You have questions. I don’t. . . .  Whose questions are they? Do they have answers? If they have answers, and they know and they’re right in the middle of it, then great. Then why don’t you tell us what your answers are?” Rivera told Ben Standig of TheAthletic.com earlier this offseason, (H/T Pro Football Talk). “I will be honest with you: From this point, I’m really not concerned what happened in Philadelphia, and I’m not really concerned what happened in Indianapolis. The answers I’ve got from the people, the things that I’ve seen and read don’t scare me. . . . Most of the things that I’ve seen and people I’ve talked to, and the people in the know . . . their answers really support how I feel. . . . Quite bluntly, I’m not concerned about that.”