Report: Washington pursued 3 star QBs before Carson Wentz trade

The Washington Commanders acquired Carson Wentz in a trade with the Indianapolis Colts on Wednesday, but it is clear he was not their first choice. He may not have even been their second or third.

The Commanders made it no secret that they were looking for a major upgrade at quarterback this offseason. According to ESPN’s Jeremy Fowler, they aimed a lot higher than Wentz. Washington pursued Aaron Rodgers, Russell Wilson and Deshaun Watson. They also kicked the tires on Jimmy Garoppolo and considered signing free agent Mitchell Trubisky.

Washington's exhaustive QB search spanned five trade options (Aaron Rodgers, Russell Wilson, Deshaun Watson, Carson Wentz, Jimmy Garoppolo) along with Mitch Trubisky as a prime free agency target before zeroing in on the Wentz deal, per source.

— Jeremy Fowler (@JFowlerESPN) March 10, 2022

Rodgers chose to remain with the Green Bay Packers. Wilson was traded to the Denver Broncos, and it sounds like that is the only place he wanted to go. The former Seattle Seahawks star has a full-no trade clause, and he reportedly refused to waive it for Washington and at least one other team.

Watson, obviously, is still facing legal trouble. Teams have been hesitant to pursue him while prosecutors determine if he will face criminal charges for the sexual assault allegations against him.

Wentz was simply the best the Commanders could do. Time will tell if he was worth the investment for them.

Photo: Nov 28, 2021; Indianapolis, Indiana, USA; Indianapolis Colts quarterback Carson Wentz (2) drops back to pass in the first half against the Tampa Bay Buccaneers at Lucas Oil Stadium. Mandatory Credit: Trevor Ruszkowski-USA TODAY Sports