Carson Wentz Returning To Practice Less Than A Month Since Foot Surgery
Less than a month since undergoing foot surgery, Colts quarterback Carson Wentz is ready to return to the practice field on "a limited basis."
Announced on Sunday via PFF's Ari Meirov, Indianapolis Colts head coach Frank Reich gave an update on a number of injured Colts players returning to practice on Monday. Included in that group is Pro Bowl guard Quenton Nelson, who was also sidelined early in August with a foot injury.
The most surprising announcement in the injury update was the return of Carson Wentz, who went down with a non-contact injury on July 29. Early reports suggested that the injury was related to a bone and ligament issue. At the time, Frank Reich said potential surgery for Wentz would address a "broken bone." On August 2, Wentz underwent foot surgery and was seen as "months away" from a full recovery.
Coach Reich previously spoke on Wentz's tenacity in recovering from surgery and beating his estimated timeline. “He’s getting very antsy. Very antsy,” announced the coach. “He’s wanting to push the envelope, as I would expect. But he’s gotta be patient and just stay focused on the mental side of it right now and we gotta let things take their course. But at the same time, there’s a time to push things and we’ll keep doing that as it’s appropriate.”
Wentz arrived in Indianapolis over the offseason after being traded by the Philadelphia Eagles for a 2021 third-round pick and 2022 conditional second-round pick. The former No. 2 overall pick and 2017 NFL MVP contender had a hot start to his career until injuries and a depleted set of pass catchers spearheaded his fall from grace. The Eagles had a similar fall since winning Super Bowl 52.
Going 17-21-1 with the Eagles in the past three seasons, Wentz's stock in the league has seen a downward trajectory until a recent reunion with former offensive coordinator Frank Reich reinvigorated his prospects of reclaiming elite status.
Reports this week have indicated that Reich and the Colts expect an expedited return from Wentz. Their projections for Week 1 still see Wentz as the QB1 — ready to kick off the regular season against the Atlanta Falcons.
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