Broncos, Steelers Should Target Carson Wentz if Aaron Rodgers Isn't Available

Indianapolis Colts v Jacksonville Jaguars
Indianapolis Colts v Jacksonville Jaguars / Julio Aguilar/GettyImages
facebooktwitter

On Tuesday, Colin Cowherd came up with an interesting proposition. On The Herd, he claimed that if Aaron Rodgers isn't available, the Denver Broncos and Pittsburgh Steelers should target Carson Wentz. While that seems crazy after how the season ended, his idea is not without merit.

We've heard from multiple insiders that the Indianapolis Colts could trade or release Wentz this offseason. That's shocking news given that Wentz was mostly decent this season, despite a complete meltdown over the final two weeks that ultimately cost the Colts a playoff spot. That collapse culminated in a 26-11 loss to the Jacksonville Jaguars in Week 18.

But Cowherd rightly pointed out that Wentz would be a significant upgrade for both the Broncos and Steelers given their current quarterback woes. The segment is below and it's hard to argue with most of his points.

This all assumes Rodgers isn't available. The Green Bay Packers and their quarterback seem to be in a much better place than they were a year ago. If Rodgers stays in Wisconsin, it would severely limit the quarterback market. Wentz could suddenly become a hot commodity.

In 17 games during the 2021 season, Wentz completed 62.4 percent of his passes for 3,563 yards, with 27 touchdowns and seven interceptions. His quarterback rating (94.6) ranked 13th in the NFL, while his QBR (54.7) was ninth. Obviously the 29-year-old needs to be better, but in a run-oriented offense he could be a solid option. Both the Broncos and Steelers have young running backs to build around in Javonte Williams and Najee Harris, respectively.

With Ben Roethlisberger retired, the Steelers are left with Mason Rudolph as the only quarterback on the roster. The Broncos return only Drew Lock at the position. Wentz is far better than both of those guys.

With a weak draft for quarterbacks and barring a trade for someone like Russell Wilson, Wentz could be the best option for both the Broncos and the Steelers.