Rams signing Carson Wentz as Matthew Stafford’s new backup ahead of Week 10 bye

After half a season out of the league, Carson Wentz is back. The former Pro Bowl quarterback is signing with the Rams to back up Matthew Stafford, as Houston’s KPRC 2 first reported and CBS Sports Senior NFL Insider Jonathan Jones confirms.

Wentz, 30, had been unsigned since his release from the Commanders in March. Los Angeles is expected to slot him in as the immediate No. 2 after regular backup Brett Rypien struggled in a Week 9 loss to the Packers filling in for an injured Stafford.

Rypien, who joined the Rams this offseason after a three-year stint with the Broncos, completed just 47.4% of his passes in the 20-3 defeat. While Stafford is expected to return from his thumb injury, which also kept him out for most of Week 8, after the Rams’ upcoming bye, Wentz will provide coach Sean McVay with more experienced insurance thanks to his 92 career starts.

Wentz notably went No. 2 overall in the 2016 draft, the same year the Rams took Jared Goff at No. 1. His once-promising Eagles career took its most drastic turn in a game against McVay’s Rams the following year, when the QB helped guide Philadelphia to a playoff-clinching victory but also suffered a season-ending ACL tear, which enabled Nick Foles’ Super Bowl run under center.

While awaiting another opportunity this summer and fall after mercurial stints with the Colts and Commanders from 2021-2022, Wentz reportedly worked under former Raiders coach and McVay mentor Jon Gruden. He last took an NFL field in Week 17 of last season, before Washington turned to current starter Sam Howell to close the year.