The “DL” Report: Philadelphia Eagles Quarterback Carson Wentz Reaction

I wanted to do a reaction to my thoughts on Carson Wentz being medically cleared to play football. I had to give myself a few hours to properly digest the news. And I am here to admit I didn’t like the Eagles trade up to number two pick in the draft to take him from North Dakota State. He had been injured in his senior year and I think played 5 games his senior year. But lets fast forward to last year when he tore it against the Rams.

He didn’t just tear the Anterior Cruciate Ligament (ACL), he also tore his Lateral Collateral Ligament (LCL), and his meniscus. That’s a lot to tear in a knee. I don’t believe he is 100% and it’s difficult to say if he is. DeShaun Watson of the Houston Texans tore his ACL in November of 2017. You cannot say that he is further along than what DeShaun Watson is because Carson tore his ACL in December!

Regardless he is back. From a football standpoint if he’s even 80% of what he was when the Eagles were streaking, it’s better than what the Eagles’ offense looks like right now. But keep in mind, the Eagles wide receiving corps is also depleted.

---

Anatomy Review:

The Anterior Cruciate Ligament (ACL) is a fibrous band that connects the tibia to the femur. It prevents the tibia from moving forward or anterior in comparison to the ACL. It is one of the four main ligaments of the knee.

The Lateral Collateral Ligament (LCL) is the other ligament that Carson tore. The LCL is on the outside portion of the knee that connects the Fibula (bone) to the Femur. It is commonly referred to as the fibular collateral ligament. It provides lateral stability for the knee.

He tore two of the four main ligaments in his knee. And he tore his meniscus. The meniscus provides cushioning for the knee and helps displace any of the forces that travel through the knee. He also creates a pad that allows for smooth range of motion in the knee as well.

---

I am not apart of the medical team. Someday it would be really cool to be a part of a true medical team working with surgeons, physicians, chiropractors, physical therapists, massage therapists, and athletic trainers. I would love it. What hasn’t been mentioned and given nearly as much attention, is that the Philadelphia Eagles have a new medical staff.

They made changes in the medical staff. So there most important decision to date is all under the guidance of the previous medical staff. While it is an ACL, an LCL, a meniscus, something that medical staff has seen on numerous occasions – they have different standards and treatment plans. While one would think that rehabilitation protocols are standard across the nation, they are not. There can be minor changes and subtle tweaks that can make major influences on the outcome of a patient.

---

If people think he’s going to just pick up where he left off, I think it is a long shot. It’s been reported that he’s also been working mentally to return to the football field and not just physically. Come Sunday, he’ll be nine months removed from his his initial ACL tear. I don’t know if people remember but Adrian Peterson did the exact same thing. Adrian Peterson returned from a torn ACL in nine months as well.

I cannot speak to the athleticism and physiology of Carson Wentz. I do just believe it is soon to be playing a meaningful football game. I thought if anything they would wait until October. Which would be ten months removed. That right now would be an extra two weeks of training, recovery, and treatment that Carson would receive to help his knee…with that said, I’ll be watching intently just like many other Eagles’ fans to see what happens, but nervously…

---

Disclaimer: I don’t own any of the photos that I used. I simply copy and paste to write these articles. All credit goes to ESPN, Carson Wentz, Twitter pages of the NFL and other sports writers.