BREAKING: Commanders Release Carson Wentz; Sam Howell Starting?
The Washington Commanders are saving some money to start off the week.
According to ESPN, the Commanders are cutting quarterback Carson Wentz, a move that was expected by many going into the offseason.
After being traded by the Indianapolis Colts last season to Washington, Wentz was unable to live up to the hype as the team's starting quarterback upgrade.
Wentz went 2-4 as the starting quarterback before suffering a broken finger that held him out for two months. During his time on the sideline, backup Taylor Heinicke performed well and won the starting job from Wentz. However, his struggles towards the end of the season eventually triggered head coach Ron Rivera to move back to Wentz as the starter.
In a crucial Week 17 contest that the Commanders needed to win, Wentz threw for just 143 yards and three interceptions in a loss to the Cleveland Browns that eliminated Washington from the playoffs. That wound up being Wentz's final appearance with the Commanders.
By cutting Wentz, the Commanders are saving over $26 million in cap space this offseason, much of which could be used on the franchise tag for Daron Payne. It could also be used to sign veterans across the roster, even at the quarterback position.
However, the team is very high on second-year pro Sam Howell, tabbing him the "likely" starter ahead of the offseason. With Wentz gone, Howell is the lone quarterback on the roster at the moment. There's a chance Heinicke could return, but he'll have the chance to test the market as a free agent.
Now that the biggest to-do item on the Commanders list is checked off, the team can now move forward with improving the team this offseason.
Follow Jeremy Brener on Twitter
Get your Washington Commanders game tickets from SI Tickets HERE!
Want the latest in breaking news and insider information on the Washington Commanders? Click Here.
Follow Commander Country on Twitter.
Want even more Washington Commanders news? Check out the Si.com team page here
