Colts: Carson Wentz returns to practice and appears on track for Week 1

Indianapolis Colts quarterback Carson Wentz underwent foot surgery on Aug. 3 and fans were given a recovery timeline of 5-12 weeks, with the earlier end of the spectrum being viewed as “overly optimistic.”

Why? This is an injury-prone mobile QB who figures to be the missing puzzle piece to the Colts’ Super Bowl aspirations. If general manager Chris Ballard and head coach Frank Reich have proven anything during their tenure, it’s that they’re tactical and strategic.

In a stroke of encouraging news, however, Wentz returned to the field on Monday in what will be a limited basis (Quenton Nelson, who had the same foot surgery, did as well). Whoa! Does that mean Week 1 is in the crosshairs for Wentz and the Colts?

Um … well, we initially didn’t think so. And we’re still not going to get ahead of ourselves based on what we’ve heard from some beat reporters. But we have some evidence suggesting we should perhaps be … excited?

Carson Wentz is back at Colts practice and already looks to be at full strength.

The procedure Wentz and Nelson went under the knife for was viewed as minor, featuring the removal of a bone that had broken loose in their feet. But given the uncertainty surrounding any procedures involving an injured foot, there’s no way to accurately predict a concrete timetable, hence the wide disparity between five and 12 weeks.

But it appears Wentz could be ready for action on Sept. 12 for the team’s Week 1 game against Seattle given he’s already doing drills like this:

And this!

He’s also out there with the first-team offense, moving Jacob Eason back to No. 2 duties and Sam Ehlinger to third-string. Did anybody expect this?! Not at all. We figured he’d be partaking in walkthroughs and other low-intensity drills with a main focus on studying the playbook and helping out the two younger QBs.

Should fans be a bit nervous? Perhaps. Wentz is already making hard cuts, rolling out of the pocket, and taking some hits in his first practice back from surgery. And his injury history doesn’t make anybody feel comfortable about what might come next.

Then again, shouldn’t we be overly encouraged if the training/coaching staff feels it’s right to thrust him into this sort of action in his first day back? Really, we’re torn, but it’s always better to remain hopeful than pessimistic, right?

In that case, we’ll say it surely looks like Wentz will be under center in two and a half weeks.

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