Carson Wentz has been medically cleared for 11-on-11 drills, but has not been cleared for contact. There are roughly three weeks to go before the Eagles open the regular season against Atlanta. In my knob-like opinion, there is no reason in the world to push Wentz’ comeback any faster than is medically prudent. It’s a long season and Mr. Foles and Mr. Sudfeld have between them more than enough competence to carry the torch while Wentz seeks 100% restoration of mobility and resilience in that knee—which is barely 9 months post-surgery.
And there’s the rub, of course—nobody, I mean NOBODY, gets that injured body part back to 100% in the space of 9 or 10 months, let alone one year or even two years in many cases. What compounds recovery even further is when you rush a guy back too soon into competition. There inevitably is the overcompensation burden put on other body parts. You’re more likely to blow out an ankle, an Achilles tendon or the other knee, or strain a back muscle, as you accelerate the motion and leverage of other body parts to make up for the anchor you’re dragging in that knee brace.
The other angle to consider is preserving your franchise QB for the next 7-10 years, assuming the Eagles are wise enough to extend Wentz’ contract before he hits free agency in 2021.Why flirt with short-term disaster to spite the long-term picture?
Maybe “playing it safe” isn’t a term in Wentz’ vocabulary, which is possibly a reason why he is so valuable as a team leader. He’s reportedly chomping at the bit to get back on the field on gameday.
But hold your horses, son. Greatness is measured in longevity. You’ve got time on your side right now. Don’t blow it with a hasty return to the battlefields.
The main reason I say “Thanksgiving” as the logical time frame for Wentz’ return is due to looking at the overall 2018 schedule. It is a very tough schedule on paper right now, (who knows what half of the teams on it will be performing like when we get to those games?), but on paper it breaks down to basically 10 games and a Bye Week before Thanksgiving:
Let’s say conservatively the Eagles get through those first 10 games with Foles and Sudfeld holding down the fort at 5-5, which is not pessimistic at all based upon the grudge matches and the early divisional statements and the crazy trip to London all thrown into that schedule’s mix.
Essentially, if you were smart enough to hold Wentz out of the fray in those first 10 games, you would have the luxury of knowing Carson Wentz was in your bullpen ready to go to potentially close out the season the rest of the way. Because out of the remaining 6 regular season games, 4 will be against divisional opponents with the classic opportunity to clinch a second consecutive NFC East title. Then however the playoff seeding shakes out, you’d have Carson Wentz leading the momentum charge for ideally three more playoff games.
That would be my perfect comeback season for Carson Wentz. He gets the first half of the season to truly heal while getting plenty of practice reps on the side. He gets a BYE in Week 9 to really get himself organized with the coaching staff and the game plan going forward. He’s finally activated in Week 10 as the backup QB vs. the Dallas Cowboys. Depending upon where the Cowboys are in the standings at that point (just guessing 5-4?), they’d have one eye distracted by the knowledge of Wentz activated and on the sidelines the entire game.
In other words, the Sheriff is back and ready to clean up Dodge. Everyone will know it and feel it. Wentz will be fresh and physically unscathed by the first half of the campaign. Who could ask for more going into those final games of the regular season, including potentially key matches with the Saints, the Rams and bloody Dallas again?
Anyway, that’s how I (the prince of knobs) would handle the reinsertion of Carson Wentz into the Eagles lineup. Doug Pederson who is an actual ex-quarterback himself probably sees it entirely differently. There will be unknown factors coming into play, too…like if Foles gets impaled in the opening game against the Falcons. But in my Harry Potter mind, the best possible outcome is to hold Wentz out of harm’s way until Thanksgiving.
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CURRENT EAGLES HEALTH UPDATES:
RB Corey Clement is nursing a lower-leg injury and may not play the rest of the preseason.
TE Richard Rodgers is “week to week” with a right knee injury suffered in the New England game, and if that means the injury will carry into the regular season, then the Eagles might have to do some roster juggling.
WR Alshon Jeffery continues to rehab from his rotator cuff surgery and hasn’t practiced in the spring or summer. When will he return to action? There isn’t an answer right now. WR Nelson Agholor is day to day.
LT Jason Peters isn’t going to play in the preseason but he’s having an “excellent summer”, according to Dave Spadaro at PE.com.
CB Jalen Mills is day to day with an injury – he’s going to be fine for Atlanta.
QB Nick Foles’ shoulder is healthy, he’s practicing, and maybe Doug Pederson wants to see Foles with the starters for a series or three against the Browns this Thursday.
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