Report: Colts’ Carson Wentz trending toward Week 1 return?

The Indianapolis Colts are still in the waiting period to determine the timeline of returns of quarterback Carson Wentz and left guard Quenton Nelson, but it seems there is strong optimism they will be ready for the regular-season opener.

Head coach Frank Reich said the Colts won’t truly know the timeline of return until about two weeks after surgery. That isn’t until next week so the Colts still likely don’t know for sure what that looks like.

However, Chris Mortensen of ESPN reported that Wentz and Nelson are heading in the right direction to be ready for Week 1.

Good vibes all around @Colts.

Jacob Eason and Sam Ehlinger are competing for the backup role.

Yes, the backup role.

Carson Wentz trending to open the season as the starter with All-Pro G Quenton Nelson on same path after foot surgeries.

The Colts open season vs. Seahawks.

— Chris Mortensen (@mortreport) August 11, 2021

There is still time to determine when the duo will return from their respective foot surgeries so it should be taken with a grain of salt. But this could be the start of encouraging news for the Colts.

As it stands, Jacob Eason and rookie Sam Ehlinger are splitting snaps with the first-team offense to determine who will fill in for Wentz during the preseason.

Wentz was starting to look a bit more comfortable in the offense just before suffering his foot injury so while this is a setback in terms of his rhythm with his teammates, it would be a huge win for the team to get its starting quarterback ready for Week 1.

There is still some time to go before determining his status for Week 1, but it seems there is some strong optimism regarding the return of Wentz and Nelson.