Veteran quarterback Carson Wentz is signing with the Los Angeles Rams, pending a physical, according to a league source. Here’s what you need to know:
- This will be Wentz’s fourth team in as many seasons: Philadelphia Eagles (2016-20), Indianapolis Colts (2021) and Washington Commanders (2022).
- Wentz started seven games for the Commanders last season, throwing for 1,755 yards with 11 touchdowns, nine interceptions and an 80.2 passer rating.
- Rams starter Matthew Stafford missed the team’s Week 9 loss to the Green Bay Packers with a thumb injury. Backup Brett Rypien only threw for 130 yards and an interception filling in for Stafford. The Rams waived Rypien on Tuesday.
- Rams coach Sean McVay and the team are optimistic that Stafford will be able to return after the bye week.
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Rodrigue: Bleak day for Rams leads to bigger questions about short and long term
Stafford on the mend?
The Rams were working on a deal with Wentz on Monday night, but here’s what McVay said when asked whether Brett Rypien, who started in Sunday’s loss to Green Bay, would still be the de facto backup if Stafford can’t play after the Week 10 bye: “The good thing is that the inclination and the direction that we’re headed, I don’t think that’s going to be a part of the conversation. Feel really good about Matthew and how much he’s attacked doing everything in his power to be back and to lead the way for this team. We’re going to look at a lot of different things over this break here. I’m optimistic that I don’t even think that’s something that we have to worry about, but we will figure out whether it be, not exclusive to the quarterback position but at some other spots, where are possibilities to be able to add competition. That could be one of them, but we haven’t made those decisions quite yet.”
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Wentz will still be limited in what he can do this week in terms of on-field work in accordance with the collective bargaining agreement, because the Rams have a bye. Players must have a minimum of four consecutive days off. But the coaching staff will at least have some time to figure out a plan for their new backup, especially if Stafford ultimately can’t return on schedule (the team is currently optimistic that he will). — Jourdan Rodrigue, Rams staff writer
Needing better backup QB plan
McVay has said the Rams have to “be better” in solidifying their backup quarterback process. This is the second consecutive season in which the team, while Stafford is dealing with an injury, has rotated through multiple backup quarterbacks. They started two backups (John Wolford, Bryce Perkins) in 2022 before ultimately picking Baker Mayfield up off of waivers. This year, the Rams drafted Stetson Bennett to be their backup, but he started the season on the non-football illness list and is away from the team. They signed Rypien, but a day after Stafford suffered his thumb injury they also attempted and failed to sign Wolford off the Tampa Bay Buccaneers’ practice squad (the Bucs promoted him to the active roster). — Rodrigue
Backstory
The Eagles took Wentz with the No. 2 pick in the 2016 NFL Draft. He landed a spot in the Pro Bowl in the 2017 season, but an injury sidelined him during Philly’s Super Bowl run as Nick Foles guided the team to a championship. He served as the primary starter until his final season with the Eagles in 2020. The Eagles traded Wentz to the Colts in March 2021. He started in Indy for one season before being traded to Washington in March 2022. Taylor Heinicke supplanted Wentz as the starter during last season.
Wentz, 30, has thrown for 22,129 yards with 151 TDs and 66 interceptions for a passer rating of 89.3.
Required reading
(Photo: Scott Taetsch / Getty Images)
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