Is Carson Wentz injury prone?
Considering everything, it's a fair question.
And Doug Pederson pondered it Friday morning and basically said, yeah, so far he has been. But he made it clear it's up to the Eagles to find ways to change that.
To ask the question now? After three years? And the injury situation that’s going on? I mean I think you guys can sit here and say that it’s probably a red flag.
Look at Wentz's history:
As a senior at North Dakota State, Wentz missed eight weeks after suffering a broken wrist on his right (throwing) hand during a game against South Dakota State in Fargo.
Wentz actually finished the game before the break was discovered. He underwent surgery that week and returned in time to lead North Dakota State to a win over top-ranked Jacksonville State in the NCAA FCS National Championship game in Frisco, Texas.
NFL
In the summer of his rookie year, Wentz suffered a fracture in his ribs during a preseason game against the Bucs. He missed the rest of the preseason but started and finished all 16 games during the regular season.
Last year, Wentz tore his ACL in a Week 13 game against the Rams at L.A. Coliseum, underwent surgery and missed the rest of the season, the Super Bowl run and the first two games of this year’s regular season.
And now he’s dealing with a fracture in his back that’s jeopardizing the rest of his third NFL season.
Pederson said Wentz will travel with the Eagles to Los Angeles, and he said the Eagles will list him as questionable for their game Sunday against the Rams back in L.A.
Pederson said the key to keeping Wentz healthy is obvious. Do a better job protecting him.
Wentz this year has been sacked 31 times, the 11th-most in the NFL despite playing only 11 games. He’s been hit a lot and just by his aggressive nature has taken a lot of blows in and out of the pocket.
Simply put, the Eagles have to do their part to give Wentz the greatest chance to stay healthy. To not be injury prone.
A lot of injuries occur because of the nature of the sport, the violent hits of this sport. Guys know exactly what they’re getting into, even at a young age, and Carson is no different. But moving forward we’re just going to have to make sure that we do a better job of protecting him, starting with the offensive line, starting with the backs, and he does his part by getting the ball out of his hand and I do my part by maybe incorporating more screens and quick throws to help that. But it’s not in any way going to change the nature of the aggressiveness of my nature or his moving forward.
Wentz is the pride and joy of the Eagles’ franchise. He’s going to be leading this franchise for the next decade. He’s probably going to get a five-year contract worth somewhere in the $150 million range this spring.
The Eagles have to find a way to keep him healthy, and Pederson knows that.
So expect this to be a theme moving forward. Pederson has already set the tone for the offseason.
Get better on the offensive line. Find ways to protect Wentz in the pocket. Call plays that keep him out of harm’s way as much as possible.
Do whatever is possible to keep No. 11 on the field. And healthy.
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