Veteran QB Carson Wentz to join with LA Rams
LOS ANGELES – The Los Angeles Rams are signing quarterback Carson Wentz, a person with knowledge of the arrangement tells The Associated Press.
The source talked to the AP on condition of anonymity Tuesday because Wentz needed to pass a physical before the contract could be publicized. Los Angeles is on its bye week.
Wentz has been out of the NFL this season after starting seven games last year for the Washington Commanders. The seven-year NFL veteran was Philadelphia’s starter for five years, and he started all 17 games for Indianapolis in 2021.
The Rams (3-6) are in need of another passer behind Matthew Stafford, who missed Los Angeles’ dreadful loss at wet Green Bay last weekend with a sprained thumb ligament. The Rams are on a three-game losing streak, falling to 8-18 since winning the Super Bowl.
Backup Brett Rypien was the only other quarterback on the Rams’ roster before Stafford’s injury, and he labored to a 13-of-28 effort with two fumbles and an interception in Los Angeles’ 20-3 loss.
The Rams dismissed Rypien on Tuesday, a necessary action if the organization wishes to put him back on its practice squad.
Rams coach Sean McVay said Monday he is optimistic about Stafford playing in their next game against Seattle on Nov. 19, but the signing of Wentz implies the Rams want insurance in case the ailment lingers or Stafford gets hurt again.
Los Angeles sought to make it through the season with Stafford and Rypien as the only quarterbacks on their roster. The Rams chose Stetson Bennett in the fourth round in spring, but the two-time national champion at Georgia has been away from the club since the preseason for undisclosed reasons.
Stafford missed the second half of last season with a damaged spinal chord, and the Rams battled with backups John Wolford and Bryce Perkins. Los Angeles then acquired Baker Mayfield, who led the Rams to a win against Las Vegas two days after signing and finally resuscitated his career enough to earn a new contract as Tampa Bay’s starting this season.
Rams general manager Les Snead picked Jared Goff over Wentz as the No. 1 overall choice in the 2016 draft after closely examining both quarterbacks. Goff led the Rams to a Super Bowl trip, and he was eventually moved to Detroit in the deal for Stafford, who won the Super Bowl in his first season with Los Angeles.
Wentz has passed for 22,129 yards and 151 touchdowns in his NFL career. He was in the midst of a stellar season with the Eagles in 2017 until he received a season-ending knee injury during a game against the Rams, and Nick Foles went on to lead Philadelphia to a Super Bowl triumph.
Wentz’s career has been a narrative of high hopes and numerous squandered opportunities for his clubs, but he has recorded decent numbers at every stop. He passed for a career-best 4,039 yards for the Eagles in 2019, but lost his starting spot to Jalen Hurts in 2020.
Wentz then played well for the Colts in 2021, completing for 3,563 yards with 27 TD passes and just seven interceptions. Washington subsequently acquired Wentz in March 2022 for a second-round pick and a third-round pick, but Wentz was unreliable even before he damaged his ring finger in October and lost the Commanders’ starting spot to Taylor Heinecke.
Washington fired the 30-year-old Wentz last February with two years left on his deal, and he went unsigned through the offseason.
The Rams also cut running back Myles Gaskin and defensive tackle Cory Durden on Tuesday and dropped quarterback Dresser Winn from the practice squad. The team re-signed Winn last week after Stafford’s injury.
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