NFL Rumors: Carson Wentz to Sign Rams Contract amid Matthew Stafford's Thumb Injury
November 7, 2023
Former Washington Commanders quarterback Carson Wentz has agreed to a contract with the Los Angeles Rams, according to ESPN's Adam Schefter.
The news comes two days after the Rams were blown out by the Green Bay Packers 20-3 with Brett Rypien under center for an injured Matthew Stafford.
According to NFL Network's Tom Pelissero, Rypien will be waived to make room for Wentz on the roster:
Tom Pelissero @TomPelisseroWith Carson Wentz headed to L.A., the <a href="https://twitter.com/hashtag/Rams?src=hash&ref_src=twsrc%5Etfw">#Rams</a> are waiving QB Brett Rypien, per source.<br><br>Two days after starting against the <a href="https://twitter.com/hashtag/Packers?src=hash&ref_src=twsrc%5Etfw">#Packers</a>, Rypien will head to waivers while Wentz becomes Matthew Stafford's backup.
Stafford missed the matchup with a sprained UCL in his thumb, though Rams head coach Sean McVay made it seem like he could return for a Nov. 19 matchup against the Seattle Seahawks following L.A.'s bye week.
"We're going to look at a lot of different things over this break... but I'm optimistic that I don't even think that's something that we have to worry about," McVay told reporters when asked if Rypien would start if Stafford can't.
The deal for Wentz comes as little surprise after ESPN's Jeremy Fowler reported on SportsCenter in May that the veteran was open to taking on a backup role.
"I was told he's been working out in L.A., plans to play this year," Fowler explained. "He's had interest from some teams. He's open to various roles; could be as a starter, could be as a backup, but he just wants to play this coming year."
The Commanders acquired the 30-year-old from the Indianapolis Colts after the 2021 season, but they released him on Feb. 27 in a move that was widely expected following a disappointing 2022 campaign that resulted in the franchise finishing with an 8-8-1 record.
Wentz started Washington's first six games of the 2022 campaign, completing 62.1 percent of his passes for 1,489 yards and 10 touchdowns against six interceptions, and the team went 2-4 in that span.
The North Dakota State product broke his right ring finger in a Week 6 win over the Chicago Bears and was sidelined for eight games as Taylor Heinicke took the reins of the offense.
Wentz then replaced Heinicke in a Week 16 loss to the San Francisco 49ers and started a Week 17 loss to the Cleveland Browns before being benched again—this time in favor of rookie Sam Howell—for the team's regular-season finale against the Dallas Cowboys.
He finished the season having completed 62.3 percent of his passes for 1,755 yards and 11 touchdowns against nine interceptions in eight games.
The Philadelphia Eagles selected Wentz with the No. 2 overall pick in the 2016 NFL draft, and he had a solid first two seasons with the franchise, even finishing third in MVP voting in 2017.
However, Wentz hasn't been the same player since suffering a torn ACL during the 2017 campaign, and it's hard to imagine he'll be anything more than a backup at the NFL level at this point.