The Kansas City Chiefs signed former No. 2 overall pick Carson Wentz to a one-year contract in the waning stages of free agency to backup Patrick Mahomes.
He only put pen to paper on April 4, however, and finally spoke out about his decision.
Chiefs Offered ‘Big Intrigue’ for Carson Wentz in Free Agency
Carson Wentz has ‘Admired’ Culture Established by Andy Reid
“Big intrigue to wanting to come here,” Wentz said via Chiefs reporter Matt McMullen on April 4. “Why I’m here today is just the winning culture, and seeing it from afar, seeing it around the league for the last couple years, and just the culture that Coach [Andy] Reid has kind of set. You see it, and I’ve admired it for years.
“That was a big piece of the puzzle for me and the desire to be here on a winning team, in a good culture, in a good community with a good fanbase. It just seemed like a good fit.”
It’s Thursday, but it feels like Wentzday‼️ pic.twitter.com/rgVF1BJQAF
— Kansas City Chiefs (@Chiefs) April 4, 2024
Wentz, 31, spent last season backing up Matthew Stafford with the Los Angeles Rams.
He made one start in two appearances, completing a career-high 70.8% of his throws, albeit on 24 attempts for 163 yards, two touchdowns, and one interception. Wentz has completed 62.7% of his passes for 22,292 yards and 153 touchdowns to 67 interceptions in his career.
Wentz was a legitimate MVP candidate with the Philadelphia Eagles in 2017. A torn ACL in Week 14 of that season ended that.
He is even far from the QB that signed a four-year, $128 contract extension in 2019.
Chiefs Could Use Carson Wentz as Short-Yardage Threat
However, the 6-foot-5, 237-pound journeyman quarterback could provide the Chiefs’ offense with something they haven’t gotten for some time. Something they haven’t even gotten out of Mahomes:
A threat to sneak the ball.
“Wentz is expected to bring more mobility and better accuracy than Gabbert demonstrated last season,” The Athletic’s Nate Taylor wrote on April 3. Wentz is also capable of being a running option if the Chiefs want to bring the quarterback sneak back into their offense.
“The last time Kansas City had a quarterback run a sneak was Oct. 17, 2019, against the Denver Broncos.”
Thank you Carson Wentz for owning the Niners you are a ram 4 Life 🙏🏾 #RamsHouse pic.twitter.com/f8avHCOUzt
— Cam✨SBLVI CHAMPIONS (@RamsWRLD_) April 2, 2024
Wentz has 1,418 rushing yards and 11 touchdowns in his career.
However, he averages just 2.3 yards per carry on runs of one to three yards, per Pro Football Reference. And he averages 1.5 yards per attempt from that same distance in fourth-down situations. The Chiefs’ offensive line also boasted the 16th-ranked run-blocking grade last season, per Pro Football Focus.
The idea he can elevate the Chiefs in those instances could prove a better idea on paper than in practice.
Chiefs Had Mixed Results in Short-Yardage Situations in 2023
Kansas City finished the 2023 season averaging 3.5 YPC in those short-yardage situations and 2.8 YPC from those distances in got-to-have-it downs. The league average was 3.2 YPC and 2.5 YPC (from 1-4 yards out), respectively, last season.
Wentz was not operating in Reid’s offense before either. It’s an offense that has resorted to tight ends as sneak options in recent years.
Now, Reid has a legitimate run-pass option with which to get creative.
Mahomes will still provide some game-altering runs when the play breaks down. But the Chiefs now have a new added element of diversity in some specialty packages they have not had in recent years. He could also take some additional wear and tear off of Mahomes because of that throwing ability.
