Wentz trade by no means prevents Commanders from drafting a QB originally appeared on NBC Sports Washington

The Commanders agreed Wednesday to acquire Carson Wentz from the Colts, but Wentz’s arrival shouldn’t preclude the franchise from drafting another passer next month. 

In fact, it might actually encourage the team to do exactly that.

While Wentz is due a hefty $28 million this year — which Washington will pay all of — there is no more guaranteed money left on his contract after that.

Therefore, Wentz has serious rental potential, considering the Commanders can rely on him this season but then move on from him without any financial burden if the partnership fails.  As premature as it may feel to discuss Wentz departing 12 months from now when he isn’t even officially on the roster yet, it’s a crucial point.

With that in mind, Ron Rivera and the front office could very well still be considering selecting a quarterback in April’s draft.

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It’s safe to say that Wentz will, at the very least, be the starter to begin 2022 and, barring injury, he could be the No. 1 guy for the entire campaign just like he was for Indianapolis.

So, with Wentz in place, the Commanders now possess a serviceable-to-good veteran who can try to guide the squad to the playoffs — and also act as a shield for a first-round prospect like Malik Willis or less-heralded but still intriguing QBs like Sam Howell or Desmond Ridder.

There’s clearly no defined way to develop a rookie signal-caller, but oftentimes, sitting on the bench early on is beneficial. Wentz is capable enough to allow a youngster time to familiarize himself with the pro game, if Rivera were to still grab one. Don’t forget that Taylor Heinicke is still around, too.

At first glance, dealing for a vet like Wentz would seem to lessen the need for spending draft capital on a quarterback, and it’s definitely possible the Commanders do ultimately bypass one in a handful of weeks. The team is less incentivized to reach for one with their first-round choice and might elect to build out the rest of their roster throughout the event.

However, because of Wentz’s contract situation and overall inconsistencies with his performance, it still makes sense on the surface for Washington to add to its QB room via the draft. Wentz is the Commanders’ newest member of the group, but he might not hold that title for long.