Carson Wentz appeared to be cursed earlier in training camp when he suffered a foot injury that required surgery.
Indianapolis Colts fans were left wondering what the plan would be at quarterback given the initial timetable of five to 12 weeks.
That turned into watching a battle between Jacob Eason and Sam Ehlinger.
Alas, the Colts got some great news Sunday in regards to Wentz.
Ummmm… Carson Wentz and Quenton Nelson will be on the practice field on a limited basis TOMORROW, Frank Reich says.
— Stephen Holder (@HolderStephen) August 22, 2021
Oh, and his elite lineman Quenton Nelson, who suffered the exact same injury, is expected back as well.
Their timetables syncing up is fantastic news for the Colts as we are still three weeks away from the start of the regular season.
Colts Avoiding Worst-Case Scenario
The Colts want to battle for a Super Bowl this season and in order to do that they need both Wentz and Nelson on offense.
Getting both back allows the first-team unit to get some time together, beyond just sitting in the meeting rooms.
For whatever it’s worth, Carson Wentz has been out at practice each of the last six days, no boot, no cast. He’ll start taking walkthrough reps soon. 25 days until the opener.
— Zak Keefer (@zkeefer) August 18, 2021
It truly appears Wentz’s injury and subsequent surgery was not as major as it could have been given that timeline.
Him being out 12 weeks had the potential to derail the team’s season before it could even begin.
The only positive from this situation is that Eason and Ehlinger were given a chance to compete for the starting role.
They have both looked solid in preseason and the Colts appear to have two legitimate young backups behind Wentz.
That is great news given his injury history throughout his career.
Fighting For The Division
The Colts are in an AFC South division that could feature two of the worst teams in football in the Jacksonville Jaguars and Houston Texans.
The Tennessee Titans do present a real threat, but a healthy Wentz has the Colts believing they can take the divisional crown in 2021.
A key for Frank Reich and the Colts is to still ease the quarterback into action again.
There is no need for him to play in the third and final preseason game, which is true for pretty much every starting quarterback around the NFL.
Just having him back on the practice field is huge and allows the team to prepare with him, as opposed to with Eason or Ehlinger.
Colts fans should be thrilled as the constant talk of who should start Week 1 should fade away if Wentz returns and proves he is just fine.
NEXT: Jacob Eason Could Be A Temporary Option For Colts At QB