Carson Wentz ended the Colts’ win over the Jets with 22 completions on 30 passes, 272 yards, three touchdowns — and another game where he played 100% of the snaps.
It marked the sixth consecutive week where finished the entire game, and he’s appeared in 99% of all possible plays for the Colts this year, missing just five snaps when he left their Week 2 game against the Los Angeles Rams with an ankle injury.
That consistency at the quarterback position could cost Indianapolis its first-round pick in the 2022 NFL Draft. When the Colts and Eagles made the February trade that sent Wentz to his new team, Philadelphia agreed to send second- and third-round draft picks the return for the 28-year-old, whom the Eagles selected No. 2 overall in the 2016 draft. But if Wentz plays more than 75 percent of the team’s snaps this year, or if he plays 70 percent and the Colts make the playoffs, that second-round pick turns into a first-round selection for the Eagles.
In order for Wentz to finish with fewer than 75% of the season’s snaps, he’d have to sit out at least five games over the final eight weeks, according to Business Insider.
Indianapolis’ win over the Jets on Thursday bumped their record to 4-5 heading into a game against the Jaguars on Nov. 14. The week before in a loss to the Titans, Wentz threw an interception late in the fourth quarter and another one in overtime, though he did lead a game-tying drive in the final seconds of regulation.
For the season, Wentz has completed 63.3% of his passes for 17 touchdowns while only throwing three interceptions. But if Wentz keeps playing full games – including those that end in blowouts – they could end up docking themselves their highest draft pick in the process.