Philadelphia Eagles head coach Doug Pederson made it official when he met the media Tuesday during QTAs. Star quarterback Carson Wentz will be a full participant in the practices, with no restrictions, via the team's website.
“Carson has no limitations,” Pederson said. “I’m not going to hold him back.”
That's significant news since the team has been cagey this offseason about when he’d be able to take on a full workload. Wentz was sidelined by a back injury for the final weeks of the 2018 season as well as the Eagles’ two playoff appearances.
Wentz started 11 games in 2018, the final one on December 9 at Dallas. In the days after that game, tests revealed a back injury that would ultimately sideline the franchise quarterback for the duration of the regular season and the two-game postseason.
It's the second straight season Wentz has had to recover from a major injury, too. The quarterback tore his ACL in the 2017 season, opening the door for Nick Foles to reclaim his title as a household name and fan favorite.
The return this year comes sooner than the previous season, though. That makes it all the more important that Wentz stays healthy for both the Eagles’ hopes of a winning season and his positioning for a long-term contract with the team that made him the second overall pick of the 2016 draft.
Wentz has faced criticism this offseason about his health (most notably from Eagles great Donovan McNabb). While no one questions his talent, there's no denying that Wentz needs to prove he can stay on the field in 2019.
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