Carson Wentz is leaving No. 11 in Philadelphia. Shortly after the Colts finalized his contract, No. 2 Wentz jerseys were on sale on the team's official website.
While Wentz has not publicly commented on his new number, one can make an educated guess why he has chosen to wear No. 2 in Indianapolis. Wentz wore No. 20 in high school, and when you add 1 and 1 together, you get No. 2. Regardless of why, Wentz has a new number as well as a fresh start with the Colts after spending the past five seasons in Philadelphia.
"I'm thrilled to have the opportunity to coach Carson again and he will be a fantastic addition to this organization," said Colts coach Frank Reich, who worked with Wentz in Philadelphia as the Eagles' offensive coordinator. "I have the utmost respect for him as a competitor and his integrity as a man. Carson will bring great leadership to our locker room and will be an asset for the Colts both on the field and in our community."
The Colts have had recent success with veteran quarterbacks. Philip Rivers helped guide the Colts to an 11-5 record and a playoff berth during his one and only season in Indianapolis. Like Rivers was last season, Wentz will be protected be one of the NFL's top offensive lines, led by All-Pro guard Quenton Nelson and center Ryan Kelly. Wentz will also have the luxury of handing the ball of Jonathan Taylor, whose 1,169 rushing yards last season were the most among rookie running backs. Wentz will also be completed by a defense that finished 10th in the NFL in points allowed last season.
Indianapolis will have to replenish its receiving corps, however, with T.Y. Hilton slated to sign with a new team in free agency. The Colts fortunately have a slew of relatively affordable receivers to choose from in free agency, including Will Fuller, Sammy Watkins, Rashard Higgins, Antonio Brown and David Moore, among others.
While they are trying to add more playmakers to their offense, the Colts already have their starting quarterback in Wentz, who is looking to revitalize his career after a shaky end to his Eagles tenure.
"We're excited to add Carson to our team and know he will contribute to the culture that we've established here," Colts general manager Chris Ballard said. "We believe that Carson's relationship with Frank and his familiarity with our offensive staff made this the right move for our organization."
