Carson Wentz, Quenton Nelson to Return to Colts Practice amid Injury Rehab
August 22, 2021
Indianapolis Colts quarterback Carson Wentz and offensive guard Quenton Nelson, who are both rehabbing foot injuries, will be on the practice field on a limited basis Monday.
Colts head coach Frank Reich told reporters (h/t Stephen Holder of The Athletic) the news on Sunday. The initial timeline for both foot injuries was five to 12 weeks from early August.
Wentz had successful surgery then to rectify the foot issue. Joel A. Erickson of the Indianapolis Star had more on Aug. 3.
"Wentz underwent surgery performed by Dr. David Porter to remove a piece of bone that had broken loose in his foot, the product of a fracture the quarterback unknowingly suffered in the past, likely in high school," Erickson wrote.
On Aug. 5, Fox Sports' Jay Glazer reported that the team expected Wentz to return on the sooner end of the 5-to-12-week timeline.
On Aug. 11, ESPN's Chris Mortensen reported that Wentz and Nelson were "trending" toward being available for the Colts' Sept. 12 season opener against the Seattle Seahawks.
As for Nelson, he was clearly determined to get back to the playing field before the season began, as he noted on Instagram:
"Third surgery of the offseason in the books, no time for pity. F--k that. Truth is, I’m thankful, thankful the early part of the time table says five weeks. That gives me five weeks to do everything I can physically and mentally to be ready to go Week 1 to smash these goals. DYJ NMW."
Reich gave a rundown of that injury on Aug. 3, per ESPN's Mike Wells.
"Where Carson's was an old [high school football] injury that cropped up, Q's was not an old injury. Q's was a developmental anomaly. Something he was kind of born with, something always there, you never know and all of a sudden there it is. They got there different ways, but essentially the same thing. Can't make that up, right?"
It certainly appears that Nelson may be able to reach that goal based on the most recent report. For now, the Colts have one more preseason game (Friday at the Detroit Lions) before setting their sights on the regular season.