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When the Indianapolis Colts learned quarterback Carson Wentz needed foot surgery, there were fears he could miss a significant portion of the 2021 season. Fortunately for Indianapolis, the veteran passer could return much sooner than initially expected.
Wentz experienced pain in his foot days into training camp, sidelining him from practicing and raising concerns about his Week 1 status. After further evaluation, doctors determined he needed surgery to remove a piece of loose bone in his foot.
When news first broke of the surgery, the Colts indicated their starting quarterback would miss 5-12 weeks. In the worst-case scenario, he would miss a significant portion of the team’s regular-season schedule. Fortunately for Indianapolis, the prognosis looks good a few days later.
“They’ll know more in about two weeks. They do think that Carson Wentz, I know they said 5-12 weeks, they think that he’ll actually push to come back a little bit sooner rather than later in the first part of the season.”
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Wentz underwent surgery on Monday and the procedure went well, with no other issues detected. After a few days of rest, the Colts are certainly feeling confident in his ability to return on the much earlier side of his timetable for a return.
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The organization will have a much clearer timeline for his return to the field later in August. While specifics are great for this franchise, it also can’t be forgotten the impact Wentz’s absence will have on this offense early in the regular season.
One of the reasons he really struggled last season with the Philadelphia Eagles was a lack of confidence. It impacted his decision-making, leading to poor throws, and he didn’t trust receivers in open windows when they were clearly there.
Wentz is comfortable in Frank Reich’s system, but he isn’t used to these wide receivers and the offensive line. Without cohesion and timing, the Colts’ offense is going to run into trouble when Wentz returns to the field and that could have ramifications on his confidence.
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It’s also important to note the veteran quarterback has dealt with a variety of injury problems since his senior year of high school. While pain tolerance is the only issue in this circumstance, how he plays through the pain and its impact on his throwing motion and footwork could put him at risk to further injury.
Given the team’s level of confidence, it’s no surprise they are sticking with Jacob Eason and Sam Ehlinger atop the quarterback depth chart right now. But if things don’t improve on schedule, the Indianapolis Colts might need to explore a Nick Foles trade.