Quarterback Carson Wentz has reportedly been working with former NFL coach Jon Gruden in the offseason as he attempts to find his next team in free agency. Even as training camps begin across the league, the former Eagles star remains unsigned.
At age 30, Wentz ended his 2022 season with the Washington Commanders, where he was inconsistent as the starter before heading to the injured with a ring finger injury. He did not return to his starting role after Taylor Heineke took over and nearly led the team to the playoffs. Wentz was released in February.
ESPN reported in May that Wentz was open to any role, whether it be as a starter or backup. He has reportedly been working with Gruden watching film and throwing, but the former coach’s public reputation makes this collaboration somewhat controversial.
Gruden, who won the Super Bowl in 2003 with the Buccaneers, resigned as Raiders head coach in 2021 after landing in the center of an ongoing controversy concerning the Washington Football Team. While NFL officials were investigating owner Dan Snyder for a litany of workplace misconduct and other violations, they discovered email correspondences between Gruden and Washington general manager Bruce Allen. The messages contained racist speech directed toward NFL figures and directly led to Gruden’s release.
It is unclear how Wentz became acquainted with Gruden, as the two have never worked together directly. Before his lone season with the Commanders, Wentz spent a similarly unsuccessful 2021 season with the Indianapolis Colts, where he was benched by Frank Reich before getting traded. He is most well-known as the starting quarterback for the Eagles, where he played for four seasons and led the team for part of its 2017 run to the Super Bowl.
He did not start in the playoffs because of an injury, but Nick Foles famously led the team past the New England Patriots to earn Wentz a Super Bowl ring. His career has been intermittently brilliant, but injuries and poor play in recent years will make him difficult to trust for many teams seeking a long-term option.
