Report: Colts likely to trade or fire Carson Wentz

The Colts seem ready to cut the bait on the midfielder Carson Wentz.

Wentz will likely be traded or launched by March 18, according to ESPN’s Chris Mortensen.

The reason March 18 is important is that Wentz’s contract calls for his $22 million base salary to be guaranteed, and he will have a $6.29 million bonus listing, if he’s still listed on March 18. If Wentz were fired before then, the ponies would still be on the hook for $15 million of his base salary, but they would be off the hook for another $13.29 million.

Trading Wentz with a team willing to take on his entire contract would be the ideal option for the Molts, but it seems unlikely that any team would give up anything to get a contract the Colts didn’t want. It is possible for Wentz, Colts and another team to agree to a reinstated contract that is easier to trade.

The Colts relinquished their first-round pick in this year’s draft and last year’s third-round pick in favor of Wentz. Obviously they wouldn’t have done it if they thought Wentz would be lonely, but given his disastrous play at the end of the season as the Colts were knocked out in a playoff match, it’s no surprise that the team seemingly decided to move on.