The worst trade the Commanders ever made? It’s likely this one

A recent breakdown of every NFL team’s worst trade in the last decade puts the Commanders’ 2022 deal for quarterback Carson Wentz at the top of their regret list.

Sep 29, 2024; Glendale, Arizona, USA; Detailed view of a Washington Commanders helmet at State Farm Stadium. Mandatory Credit: Mark J. Rebilas-Imagn Images | Mark J. Rebilas-Imagn Images

Washington Commanders general manager Adam Peters has made some interesting trades in his first 18 months at the controls of the roster.

Whether they came in the form of draft trades that led to the team selecting three second-round players in 2024 or for veterans like receiver Deebo Samuel and left tackle Laremy Tunsil joining the Commanders' roster, Peters has yet to shy away from making a move he thought would help his team.

Fortunately, none of Peters' trades have blown up in his or the collective face of Washington football thus far. Certainly, none have been as bad as the worst trade made by the franchise in the last 10 years, according to Bleacher Report.

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Washington Commanders quarterback Carson Wentz. | Brad Mills-Imagn Images

"In 2022, Washington traded its 2022 and 2023 third-round picks to Indianapolis for Carson Wentz and a 2022 seventh-round pick. The trade also involved a 2022 pick swap that dropped the Commanders five spots in the second round," Bleacher Report says of the trade for the quarterback who lasted just one year with the team.

"Multiple teams have seen Wentz struggle as a starter, and Washington joined the list in 2022. The 2016 first-round pick started just seven games for the Commanders, won two, posted an 80.2, missed time with a fractured finger and was released after just one season.

"The Wentz trade was essentially a waste of assets for the Commanders, who saw better play from Taylor Heinicke and failed to audition then-rookie Sam Howell until the season finale."

If you have an 'alls well that ends well' mentality then at least it all led to Jayden Daniels and the track that Washington is on today.

Still, it is hard to recall those times with anything but angst, given how loudly everyone but the decision makers wanted Taylor Heinicke to replace Wentz. It gets harder still when you remember that tragic Cleveland Browns effort that eventually contributed to the team being eliminated from playoff contention.

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