When Carson Wentz first went down with his most recent injury, there was no hope of him playing in Week 2 of the NFL preseason. Yet, his rehab appears to be going swimmingly, according to Frank Reich. Although it would take a miracle to play in the preseason at all, it’s good to know his recovery period should fall on the quickest end of the 5 to 12-week time period.
Carson Wentz’s injury history is concerning
This isn’t the first time Wentz has had to miss time due to injury, and it certainly won’t be the last, either. His heroic style of play is his greatest attribute and his mortal enemy all in one.
The injuries began before college, but they’re difficult to track down. Doctors believe a high school injury could have caused the surgery on his foot. There have been many since he showed up at North Dakota State.
It started with wrist surgery before his senior season. He eventually led the Bison to a national championship, but he missed significant time during the year coming back from the procedure.
Then, as a rookie, he suffered a hairline fracture to his ribs during the preseason. In 2017, during a year in which he dominated on third downs and was in the conversation for league MVP, he tore his ACL and LCL.
Wentz suffered a stress fracture in his back in 2018. He played through it for a while before the team conceded, and he was sidelined for three months. In the 2019 playoffs, he became concussed and had to leave the game. Wentz stayed healthy for the 2020 campaign but was terrible and then benched and traded in the offseason.
Now, we’re here.
Is Carson Wentz playing tonight?
No, Wentz is absolutely not playing in Week 2 of the NFL preseason. Reich and the Indianapolis Colts hope to have him back for the start of the regular season, but that will put him on the fastest end of his 5-12 week recovery schedule.
That’s not necessarily a bad thing, though. The Colts might not have complete clarity on their backup quarterback situation. Both Jacob Eason and Sam Ehlinger have looked impressive at times during camp and in the preseason.
Dalton Miller is the Lead NFL Analyst for Pro Football Network. You can find his writing here and his voice and face on Pro Football Network Daily. Follow him on Twitch and Twitter.