Seems like Carson Wentz might be giving Colts second thoughts already

On Monday, the Colts were busy picking through the wreckage of missing the NFL postseason because former Eagles quarterback and current Indy QB1 Carson Wentz couldn't beat the dang Jaguars.

Colts head coach and former Eagles offensive coordinator Frank Reich was asked by reporters Monday in his year-end press conference whether he can guarantee Wentz will be Indy's starting quarterback next year.

Reich... didn't exactly go to bat for Wentz:

Reich declined to say whether or not Wentz will be the starter in 2022, said he's not going to evaluate players individually.

I'm going to go back and look later, but it does feel like that's different than what he said about Rivers at this time last year.
— Joel A. Erickson (@JoelAErickson) January 10, 2022

Not much of an endorsement.

Although, you might say to yourself, this could just be Reich playing diplomat and not wanting to say anything in either direction before the offseason hits and he and general manager Chris Ballard have some big-picture talks. Maybe this is what Reich does every year.

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Except that in his year-end press conference last year, when asked if he wanted Philip Rivers back, this is what Reich said:

"Yes, as I sit here right now, yes I want Philip Rivers to be my starting quarterback next year."

Yikes!

Does this mean the Colts are fully out on Wentz and will try to move him this offseason? Not entirely.

But I'd say it makes the relationship between Indy and their supposed franchise quarterback feel a little icier than either side thought it would be after just 17 games.

It's hard to blame Reich for not guaranteeing Wentz the job, though. The former Eagles QB was absolutely dreadful down the stretch, and Reich routinely kept the ball out of Wentz's hands for fear of him making the kinds of game-wrecking mistakes he made Sunday vs. Jacksonville.

READ: Eagles' Nick Sirianni shares his secret for playoff success

Here are Wentz's final four games of the season:

58.3% completion
6.4 yards per attempt
10 sacks
5 TDs
2 INTs
1 fumble lost

That is not the play of a franchise quarterback who is set to count for $28 million against the cap next season if the Colts bring him back.

Oh, and Indianapolis doesn't have its first round draft pick to potentially use on a young QB to bring in as competition... because the Eagles acquired it in the Wentz trade.

What a mess!