The Kansas City Chiefs could turn to former No. 2 overall NFL Draft pick Carson Wentz as Patrick Mahomes’ backup quarterback, as free agency moves into its second wave.

Wentz, chosen by the Philadelphia Eagles in the 2016 NFL Draft, played in instrumental role in Philadelphia’s run to the Super Bowl during a stellar 2017 campaign but injuries and inconsistency have marred the 31-year-old’s career in recent years.

Carson Wentz remains a free agent (Photo by Dustin Satloff/Getty Images)

Still, CBS Sports believes Wentz could be an ideal fit as Patrick Mahomes’ backup as the Kansas City Chiefs aim to become the first franchise to win three consecutive Super Bowls in the upcoming 2024 season.

“One of the best backups left,” Cody Benjamin writes for CBS. “Wentz flashed his play-making arm in a brief stint as Matthew Stafford’s No. 2 down the stretch of 2023. Kansas City, meanwhile, has a void behind Patrick Mahomes after Blaine Gabbert hit the market, and the Chiefs reportedly sniffed around the ex-Philadelphia Eagles star a year ago.”

Wentz has struggled in recent seasons, both on the field and alienating teammates in the locker room, in Philadelphia and Indianapolis, and was forced to take a role as a backup with the Los Angeles Rams after being unceremoniously released by the Washington Commanders.
Kansas City Chiefs head coach Andy Reid takes the field in the first quarter of the AFC championship NFL game between the Cincinnati Bengals and the Kansas City Chiefs, Sunday, Jan. 29, 2023, at Arrowhead Stadium in Kansas City, Mo. The Chiefs led 13-6 at halftime.

Why Carson Wentz Could Be Fit for Kansas City Chiefs

Wentz played the best football of his career, in his second NFL season, under former Eagles head coach Doug Pederson, who is a sturdy branch of Kansas City Chiefs head coach Andy Reid‘s coaching tree.

During his time in Philadelphia, Wentz completed 62.7 percent of his passes for 16,811 yards with 113 touchdowns to 50 interceptions.

However, there remains a risk when it comes to Wentz from an injury standpoint, an ineffectiveness standpoint, and the fact that he hasn’t received glowing reviews from his time towards the end of his career in Philadelphia and Washington.

Even a modicum of scheme familiarity combined with walking into an established locker room with a winning culture could make the Chiefs a bit of a soft landing for the next stop of Wentz’s journeyman backup quarterback tour.

 
(Photo courtesy of Scott Jennings) Quarterback Carson Wentz comes in to replace Taylor Heinicke.