Carson Wentz Rumors: '50-50 Chance' QB Returns to Colts for 2022 Season

The Indianapolis Colts still don't know whether Carson Wentz will be their long-term answer under center after his disappointing 2021 season.

"The word I got after the season was there was a 50-50 chance Wentz would be back," Zak Keefer of The Athletic reported. "And with a little over a month until the deadline, the Colts haven’t yet made their decision."

The March 18 "deadline" is when Wentz will earn a $5 million roster bonus for the 2022 season, per Spotrac. A release this offseason would leave the Colts with a $15 million dead cap hit, but there would be no cap penalty if he is moved after 2022.

The Colts acquired Wentz last year in a trade with the Philadelphia Eagles. They ultimately gave up a 2021 third-round pick and a 2022 first-round pick based on the quarterback's playing time. 

The 29-year-old did bounce back from his brutal 2020 campaign with the Eagles, finishing last year with 3,563 passing yards, 27 touchdowns and only seven interceptions in 17 starts. However, the Colts went 9-8 and missed the playoffs.

They would have clinched a postseason berth with a win over the lowly Jacksonville Jaguars in Week 18, but Wentz finished with only 185 passing yards, one touchdown and one interception in the 26-11 upset loss.

ESPN's Chris Mortensen reported Sunday that Wentz's future with the team is now "bleak" and he will "probably" be traded or released (h/t Ari Meirov of Pro Football Focus).

The Colts have the pieces in place to compete right away with an upgrade at quarterback. They had the No. 9 scoring defense in the NFL last year, while rushing champ Jonathan Taylor mostly carried the offense down the stretch.

Indianapolis isn't guaranteed to find a better option under center than Wentz. The Colts also have to consider the cost of last year's trade and the dead cap hit that they'd be left with after releasing him.

That leaves the front office with a difficult decision to make heading into the new league year.