Carson Wentz isn’t likely to be active for the Eagles in Week 1. Photo Credit: Bill Streicher-USA TODAY Sports
Even though the Philadelphia Eagles selected quarterback Carson Wentz with the No. 2 overall pick, head coach Doug Pederson plans to groom him at a slow pace.
The Eagles don’t need to rush to get the rookie ready for the season opener on Sept. 11 against the Cleveland Browns with Sam Bradford and Chase Daniel already on the roster.
“Typically, the third quarterback is down,” Pederson told the PhillyVoice. “It’s hard right now to look down the road, but if we had to play this week, Carson would be down. He’d be the third quarterback. He’d be deactivated. That’s probably the direction we’re heading, I would think is going that route. Obviously barring injury and, as you know, how this game is, but typically the third quarterback, whoever that is, is down on game day.”
Bradford re-signed with the Eagles in March, a two-year, $35 million deal that seemingly solidified his standing as the No. 1 quarterback. Philadelphia signed Daniel as an experienced backup option for a three-year, $21 million deal.
Wentz played at FCS powerhouse North Dakota State and some projected him as a starter only if he fell into a situation — like the one projected in Philadelphia — where he had at least one year to get up to speed against NFL talent.
Now Pederson seems to be confirming that Bradford and Daniel will start the season atop the depth chart, with Wentz the No. 3 quarterback.
