8:03 am | September 16, 2018 | Go to Source | Author:
Philadelphia Eagles quarterback Carson Wentz still needs final medical clearance, but he is on track to return next Sunday against the Indianapolis Colts, league sources tell ESPN.
Philadelphia has been cautious about rushing Wentz back from last season’s knee injury, despite how strong he has looked in practice.
There were some within the Eagles organization who thought that, from a football standpoint, Wentz was ready to play Week 1, though the team stuck to a plan it had laid out for the star quarterback, taking a long-range view.
Wentz tore it up at practice this past Wednesday — the nine-month anniversary of his injury, looking sharp and ready for action. All that remains is being medically cleared, which is likely to happen as early as this week, according to sources.
Nick Foles once again will start at quarterback Sunday when the defending champion Eagles face the Buccaneers. The reigning Super Bowl MVP is 6-1 as Philadelphia’s starter — including regular season and postseason — since Wentz tore two knee ligaments in Week 14 last season.
Eagles coach Doug Pederson said this past Wednesday that Wentz is doing “great.” He continues to take part in team drills by working with the scout team in practice. According to ESPN’s Chris Mortensen, the player-tracking data that the Eagles utilize indicates that Wentz has hit a vital threshold — the ability to protect himself.
“That’s correct,” said Pederson, when asked if Wentz’s GPS data is trending in a positive direction. “That’s what we’ve seen really since he came back into 11-on-11 as training camp progressed.”
ESPN’s Tim McManus contributed to this report.
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