The Philadelphia Eagles will play for the Super Bowl this Sunday without quarterback Carson Wentz, who suffered a season-ending knee injury in Week 14. But if the Eagles do go on to win the Super Bowl, Wentz might have a shot at playing in their first game as reigning champions in next season's opener.

Per NFL Network’s Ian Rapoport:

According to several sources with knowledge of Wentz's rehab, it's “realistic” to believe he'll be good to go for the opener. It's not a given, and no one knows for sure. But there is optimism.

Wentz tore his ACL and LCL against the Los Angeles Rams on Dec. 10. As Rapoport notes, a simple ACL tear would’ve resulted in a quicker and more straightforward recovery time. However, the added LCL tear has made the Eagles adopt a more cautious approach with their franchise quarterback.

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Wentz is set to begin weight-bearing exercises for the first time next week, though, which means his recovery can continue like it were a normal ACL tear.

The Eagles would obviously love to have their first-choice QB back and fully healthy to begin the new season. Wentz was spectacular during this past regular season as he led the NFL with 33 passing touchdowns through 14 weeks. He has recently come out expressing his optimism about being ready for Week 1.

Still, the Eagles most likely won’t risk Wentz if it becomes apparent that he’s not completely ready to go by Week 1. They’d much rather see him continue to take his time with his rehab and ensure he’s 100 percent when he does take to the field once again.