The original plan to have Carson Wentz sit and learn for a season lasted all of a few months.
As first reported by Adam Schefter, the Philadelphia Eagles traded Sam Bradford to the Minnesota Vikings for a first-round pick in 2017 and a conditional fourth-round pick in 2018. With Bradford out of the picture, Wentz suddenly goes from being a No. 3 quarterback who was looking at being inactive on game days to a potential starter early in his career.
According to ESPN NFL Insider Adam Caplan, the Eagles plan on starting Wentz Week 1 against the Cleveland Browns, if healthy. Wentz has been recovering from a hairline rib fracture suffered in the preseason opener against the Bucs. He missed the rest of the preseason. Eagles coach Doug Pederson told reporters early last week that one of the ribs was only 60 percent healed.
Even if the rib is fully healed heading into preparations for the Browns this week, the question is whether Wentz is ready for game action. The North Dakota State product is making a big leap from the FCS to the NFL, and because of the injury, he threw all of 24 passes this preseason.
A possible stop-gap option -- one that they may decide to skip over altogether -- is Chase Daniel. The Eagles signed the former Kansas City Chief to a deal worth $7 million annually this offseason in part because of his familiarity in Pederson's scheme. While he only has 77 career attempts in the NFL, he has been in the league for six-plus years and knows the system well. Daniel had his share of struggles in the preseason, including a two-interception performance against the Jets on Thursday night.
The Eagles found themselves in a similar situation back in 1999. In Andy Reid's first year, the Eagles drafted Donovan McNabb No. 2 overall and brought in Pederson to man the ship while the young QB got ready.
Playing the role of McNabb now is Carson Wentz who, like McNabb, was selected by the Eagles at No. 2 overall. Pederson started nine games that year (with McNabb getting some reps here and there in-game) before handing the gig over to McNabb for the final six.
A similar dynamic has emerged some 17 years later, though it sounds like Wentz will be taking over much sooner than McNabb did. NFL teams aren't as patient as they once were.