Carson Wentz injury update: How long is the Washington Commanders QB out for?

According to NFL Media, Carson Wentz, the quarterback for the Washington Commanders, will miss four to six weeks due to a fractured ring finger on his throwing hand. He is scheduled for surgery on Monday and may be put on injured reserve, which would require him to miss at least the team’s next four contests.

The accident happened during the Commanders’ victory over the Chicago Bears on “Thursday Night Football.” In the second quarter, defensive lineman Justin Jones bent his fingers back as Wentz fired a pass after failing to bat it down. 

Wentz played despite the injury, going 12-of-22 for 99 yards, zero touchdowns, and zero interceptions while displaying clear discomfort for the remainder of the game. Wentz has 1,489 throwing yards, 10 touchdowns, and six interceptions for the entire season.

Wentz’s absence will see backup Taylor Heinicke take over as quarterback. Heinicke is anticipated to start at least the contests against the Philadelphia Eagles, Minnesota Vikings, Green Bay Packers, and Indianapolis Colts. If Wentz is sidelined for six weeks, Heinicke would start the games against the Houston Texans and Atlanta Falcons.

Heinicke had a 65.0% completion rate, 3,419 passing yards, 20 touchdown passes, and 15 interceptions in 16 games (15 starts) last season with the Commanders. He had a total of 60 rushing attempts for 313 yards and one touchdown.

The most notable incident involving Heinicke is when the Tampa Bay Buccaneers and Tom Brady nearly won the Super Wild-Card Weekend in 2021. The 29-year-old has thrown 18 interceptions and 22 touchdowns in his career, which has encompassed stops with the Texans, Carolina Panthers, and Commanders. 

The Commanders also have North Carolina rookie Sam Howell at quarterback if Heinicke struggles or sustains an injury. Washington selected him with the 144th overall pick in the fifth round of the 2022 NFL Draft.

Wentz’s injury comes after the 29-year-old appeared to receive criticism from his coach, Ron Rivera, who claimed that the quarterback position was what separated the struggling Commanders from the successful other NFC East clubs. Rivera later clarified his remarks and apologized to Wentz for the disruption he had caused. 

Wentz said that the coach had talked to him about the press conference and that he had not been worried about it. With a 2-4 record, the Commanders are now in last place in the NFC East.

 

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