Wentz is chomping at the bit, but he must protect himself
PHILADELPHIA » It’s only been a couple of weeks since training camp began for the Eagles.
That’s 14 practices, give or take a free Rita’s Water Ice day, including Tuesday.
But it’s been an eternity since quarterback Carson Wentz last played a football game, and understanding that the Eagles now are his team, the preseason opener Thursday at Green Bay cannot come too soon.
“Obviously I’m new to this but I want to play,” Wentz said. “It will be the coach’s decision as to how much and everything but I’m excited to finally get out there, go to Lambeau Field and have some live action. I think it’s good just for everybody to kind of get back in the swing of things, get used to the contact and get used to the routine.”
Wentz played in just two preseason quarters as a rookie last year due to a cracked rib. But he started every game of the regular season when the Eagles shipped Sam Bradford to Minnesota, the team Wentz followed as a kid. One of Wentz’s losses came at the Linc to the Packers and Aaron Rodgers, who traditionally doesn’t play until the third preseason game.
Wentz grew up a fan of Brett Favre, not Mr. Rodgers.
“I’ve never been to Lambeau,” Wentz said. “It will be a cool atmosphere. For some of these rookies, like we were talking to (quarterback) Dane Evans and saying ‘hey, your first ever game action will be at Lambeau Field. That’s pretty cool.’”
If you want to get technical, it’s going to be warm and humid, with a chance of rain when the Eagles oppose the Packers. The football gods there don’t come out there until the temperature is in single digits.
But Wentz’s enthusiasm is a big part of who he is, how he leads and what his teammates better respect if they want to stick around.
The longer you listen to Wentz, the more it sounds like he just wants to be one of the tough guys. Not that he dislikes his role as the quarterback, but rather he’s tired of not sharing bumps and bruises with his less fortunate teammates who – with the exception of wide receiver Alshon Jeffery - have been tackling one another to the ground in various stages of training camp.
Asked about the physical component to the preseason game, Wentz began with “I love” before downshifting.
“Obviously out here we’re wearing red jerseys and you can’t get hit,” Wentz said. “So to finally just get that live action, to kind of get used to it again before Week One comes, it will be good for me and for everybody.”
In that vein, Wentz is a lot like Michael Vick, who didn’t feel like he was one of the guys until he got tackled. The Eagles’ coaches who told him to hook slide realized it was futile trying to change him. Vick adored that beat-up feeling football players embrace.
Football is a fraternity where the competitors compare scars, surgeries, knots and busted this or busted thats. Even the kickers and punters and long snappers have a piece of it, although obviously smaller.
Fittingly Wentz’s eyes lit up at the prospect of contact while he waved his hands around, one bearing a fresh bandage from a finger he cut on his throwing hand taking a snap in practice. Just a flesh wound, people.
Wentz’s preseason playing time is a delicate situation for Eagles head coach Doug Pederson, who has gone out of his way to keep Jeffery and the shoulder both those cats insist is healthy from everything physical.
Pederson’s immediate job and his future are tied to how he manages Wentz. There’s no firm evidence, just forensic stuff to suggest that when Wentz says he’s going to do such and such, Pederson’s style is to say, OK, that sounds great, followed by the ritualistic clapping of the hands.
Wentz wants to get hit. Not hard, just enough to be a part of it. He may get his chance as Chargers reject Chance Warmack has replaced Brandon Brooks and his twisted ankle at right guard.
“If you’re scared to get hurt, you wouldn’t play this game,” Wentz said. “I think the live pass rush will be good to go out there and start feeling some things. Obviously in practice you try to make it game-like. You try and react the way you would. But when you’re live things are a little different. So I think it will be good for me.”
What’s good for Wentz isn’t necessarily good for the Eagles. If he sprains an ankle, forget about the 3-0 start he put up last year. Backup Nick Foles is nursing a swollen elbow. Though Matt McGloin has been an inspiring storyline to this point, do you really want to play four of your first six games on the road with the Penn State product?
In terms of player health, the preseason is anything but a winwin situation for Pederson, starting with his starting quarterback.