Eagles Rumors: Injured Carson Wentz Could Be Cleared This Week, Play vs. Colts

The Philadelphia Eagles could be close to receiving good news about quarterback Carson Wentz.

Per NFL Network's Ian Rapoport, the defending Super Bowl champions have been targeting the third week of the season for Wentz to be cleared for contact. ESPN's Adam Schefter, citing league sources, later reported that Wentz "is on track to return next Sunday against the Indianapolis Colts."

Even though Wentz could be cleared for contact this week, Rapoport noted the Eagles won't rush him back until he's 100 percent recovered from the left knee injury he suffered last December:

"The thinking has been—and will be throughout—that the decision of when Wentz will return to the field following a torn ACL and LCL is about the next 10 or 15 years, rather than 10 or 15 minutes. As one source familiar with the team's thinking said, if the Eagles need to hold him out longer, they are fully committed to doing so."

Wentz has been allowed to take part in seven-on-seven drills since June. The 25-year-old has earned high marks for his arm strength while going through the rehab process.

"Velocity has been up, accuracy has been up," Eagles head coach Doug Pederson told reporters last month. "Those are the things he's been able to work on over the course of the year."

Nick Foles has been handling starting duties since Wentz went down. He was named Super Bowl MVP after throwing for 373 yards and accounting for four touchdowns in the Eagles' 41-33 win over the New England Patriots.

Philadelphia opened the 2018 season with an 18-12 win over the Atlanta Falcons on Sept. 6, and the Eagles will look to start 2-0 on Sunday against the Tampa Bay Buccaneers.