Carson Wentz injury update provides hope, confusion, uncertainty
Carson Wentz injury — unfortunately for past Eagles die-hards, Colts fans, coaches and Wentz himself, those three words are are anxiety inducing but at least for now, Colts fans and Wentz have hope.
Less than 72 hours ago, ESPN’s Adam Schefter reported Indianapolis Colts quarterback Carson Wentz suffered a significant foot injury in practice last Thursday. He was listed as out indefinitely. Few details were known and surgery was widely reported as a likely option until today.
According to NFL Insider Ian Rappaport, Wentz is foregoing the surgery option for now and instead will rehab with the goal of being ready by week one.
It’s tough not to feel for both Wentz and Colts fans. We haven’t seen the former Super Bowl Champion take a snap under center for his new team. It’s easy to jump on the bandwagon bashing Wentz, but let’s not forget who Wentz was prior to his run of bad luck. Sure, the injury history is worrisome.
But, Wentz remains the player who led the Eagles to a 11-2 start before getting injured in 2017. He earned a Pro Bowl nod with 33 touchdowns and just seven interceptions. Wentz torched defenses in 2019, becoming the first player in NFL history to throw for more than 5,000 yards with no receiver finishing with more than 500 yards. Those are impressive feats.
Everyone in the Indianapolis metro area will be crossing their fingers that version of Wentz returns. They have the catalyst and are primed for a bright future, but Wentz must remain healthy. This is far from an ideal start to camp, but it was always part of the risk, when acquiring Wentz from the Eagles.
The Colts roster is stacked. They are truly one of those teams that are “a quarterback away.” Wentz is easy to pull for and his name has been mentioned all off-season as a “comeback player of the year” candidate.
It’s just too early to truly know whether this quarterback will be healthy enough by Week 1, or how severe the injury is.
Even after Rappaport’s update on Monday, we don’t have a clear picture or timeline for the quarterback’s return. It’s equally brutal to make an accurate prediction on the status of the Colts signal caller moving forward, especially when there are conflicting reports from the media members who cover the team on a daily basis.
Moments after Rappaport hinted Wentz will take the rehab route with optimism for a Week 1 start, Zak Keefer, the Colts reporter for The Athletic, politely refuted Rappaport’s update.
All options appear to remain on the table, contradictory to the rehab approach Rappaport mentioned as the focal point
Injuries are always a guessing game. Communication from doctors to coaches is ever-changing. Circumstances change on a dime. Wentz has likely sought opinions from various specialists weighing out the potential risks and rewards.
The Colts brass feel like they’re a franchise passer away from making a legitimate Super Bowl Run. For now, they wait like fans, media and everyone locked into this story. It’s not one to be taken lightly, but the facts will emerge sooner rather than later.