There’s a chance Indianapolis Colts quarterback Carson Wentz is ready for Week 1, but it’s complicated and far from definite.
Wentz has been labeled “out indefinitely” by the team as he was seeking multiple medical opinions regarding his injured foot. At this juncture, the former No. 2 overall pick has opted against undergoing surgery.
For now, Wentz will take the rehab route, but that doesn’t mean surgery is ruled out. He could need it later down the road if things don’t go as planned.
What’s being labeled as a “bone and ligament issue” could turn into a season-long problem for the Colts.
#Colts QB Carson Wentz plans to try to rest and rehab his foot injury over the next few days, source said, rather than have immediate surgery. If all goes well, Week 1 is in play. If it doesn’t improve, the answer may be surgery.
— Ian Rapoport (@RapSheet) August 1, 2021
Carson Wentz could be on the field Week 1 for the Colts, but it won’t be easy.
Surgery would surely knock Wentz out of the picture for the start of the 2021 NFL season, but there are perhaps more complications that come with rehabbing the foot injury.
The truth is, any injury situation without a definitive solution/plan of action is almost always difficult. With the timeline so close to Week 1, it’s of course no easier. But Wentz runs the risk of sacrificing an important part of his game going the rehab route.
Another point here on Carson Wentz trying to rehab and power through his injury: Medical folks agree this scenario would mean he’d be much less mobile as he tries to play through it. That’s a part of his game, obviously.
— Mike Garafolo (@MikeGarafolo) August 1, 2021
If the rehab doesn’t end up working, that means surgery will be inevitable, which would keep Wentz out even longer than he already projects to be. If he had decided on surgery from the jump (he still might, none of this is confirmed), he’d have a much more definitive timeline and a greater likelihood of a healed foot after upwards of two months of rest and physical therapy.
Either way, it’s a bummer because he’s going to miss valuable time with his teammates during which he should be hammering down the playbook and establishing relationships.
From what I've gathered on the Carson Wentz front, no final decision's been made. Team still working through the diagnosis and steps ahead.
— Zak Keefer (@zkeefer) August 1, 2021
I expect we'll know more tomorrow, when Frank Reich returns to practice.
Whatever Wentz decides, the roster the Colts have right now is one of the best they’ve had in years. But one could argue they have the least amount of depth at the QB position, which features Jacob Eason and Sam Ehlinger … two former college stars with no NFL experience and clear flaws that forced them to tumble in the draft.
This is part of the reason Colts fans were worried about the trade to begin with. Wentz has a lengthy injury history that’s hindered his development ever since his 2016 rookie campaign. Now, fans are already hoping the right medical decision is made so the former Eagles star can maximize his time under center in 2021.
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