Can Carson Wentz Recapture His Fire?

Perfect situations are rare in the NFL, but Carson Wentz seems to have found himself in exactly that. If there was a way to recreate his MVP caliber season in 2017, this is it. His offensive coordinator is now his head coach, he has a very good defense, he has a brilliant run game and above all, he has one of the best offensive lines in all of football. Carson Wentz has everything he needs to regain his top form and catapult himself back into the discussion of top 5 quarterbacks in the NFL.

Make or Break Season?

Many people in the football world believe the next year is the last opportunity for Carson Wentz to be a starter in the league and if he can’t be good again with this much talent around him, then he is done. It is understandable, over the last 2 years every single excuse has been made for why Carson Wentz isn’t performing; ‘he isn’t being protected’ ‘he has no weapons’ ‘the play calls are wrong’. While most of that is definitely true, Wentz is not completely absolved from all blame. He has made some extremely questionable decisions, making the wrong read countless times and simply missing on wide-open throws from a clean pocket. That being said the talent was there to be seen by all, once or twice every game Wentz would make some unbelievable plays. Plays that would remind you why he was the run-away MVP before his injury in 2017.

Wentz struggled through his 12 starts last year, throwing just 16 touchdowns while leading the league with 15 interceptions. Confidence is key in football, with it, even players who aren’t as good can ball but without it, some of the most talented guys in the league look terrible. This was clear to see with Wentz last season, he just didn’t look comfortable at all last season. That could have been because of the lack of protection and him knowing that he has almost no time to make a play, but it could also be as a result of the poor mismanagement by the Eagles front office and coaches.

There is no reason that Wentz shouldn’t be oozing with confidence going into the new season. He knows that the Colts actually wanted him, hence the trade. His teammates already speak highly of him with the few times they have met and trained together. TY Hilton told Pat McAfee that he loved his throwing session with Wentz. It’s as if the Colts know that a confident Carson Wentz is what they need to take them over the hump so they are doing everything they can to get him back to that.

Expectations for the Colts

Anything less than winning the AFC South would be a disappointment as a step back for the Colts. The Colts have been slowly chipping away at the AFC elites for a few years now and they feel that with Wentz they have the final piece to finally compete for the AFC crown. On paper, you would be hard-pressed to find a better 52-man roster than the Indianapolis Colts. They have everything, a top 5 defense, a top 3 offensive line, a power back, a back that can catch out the backfield, a good receiver, and tight end group. They have no holes or weaknesses. The Colts can make a Super Bowl run if Wentz can manage to recapture his 2017 form, and they believe they can get him back there.

The Colts still have money to play around with in free agency if they choose to do so, with over $23,000,000 in cap space, the Colts still have more money than most to improve their roster. They have plenty of options still available in free agency, there are a few directions they could go before the draft. A pass rusher, like Jadeveon Clowney who they have been linked with, or some more weapons for Carson Wentz. Either way, the Colts are loaded and will make a lot of noise next year in the AFC.