Carson Wentz’s availability could count on Jason Peters’ status against Ravens

Neither Jason Peters or Carson Wentz have played yet this preseason. Will that change on Thursday against the Ravens?

Would you rather see Carson Wentz suit up and play for the Philadelphia Eagles at all this preseason? Or would you prefer he stays off the field until the games actually mean something? The decision seems split amongst fans, but the Eagles’ head coach won’t confirm either-or.

This Thursday, the Eagles will host their second and final preseason game of the summer. As we know, the third week is typically what is considered to be the ‘dress rehearsal’ for NFL starters. That’s the game when first-stringers usually spend more than two quarters on the field in preparation for the season-opener in a couple of weeks.

Next week, it’s a guarantee that no starters will play, as the final preseason game always consists of roster hopefuls trying to make their last case of landing on the roster. So in reality, this is the week where we truly find out if Eagles quarterback Carson Wentz will play in the preseason, or sit out until week one of the regular season against the Washington Redskins.

Why wouldn’t Wentz play?

Since we haven’t seen Wentz play in a physical game since December, many are curious as to why he’s not going to play in the preseason, if that happens. Well, it’s simple — the Eagles don’t want to see their quarterback get hurt in a meaningless preseason game. Considering two guys have already suffered injuries, it makes the situation a lot riskier.

Since the Eagles have trotted out their backup offensive linemen out on the field for the first two weeks, there’s a good chance they might be back out there for the next two weeks as well. And if the starting O-Line isn’t going to be involved, then the supposed injury-prone quarterback shouldn’t be either — especially when he’s trying to remain healthy for a full regular season.

Is there a chance he could play?

Since Doug Pederson won’t confirm if Wentz will play or not on Thursday, we’re not sure what to expect. As we mentioned above, the only way Wentz will play in the preseason is if the starting offensive line will participate or not. Right tackle Lane Johnson is guaranteed to sit out, as he’s been dealing with some injuries of his own.

That right there could factor into the decision, but Johnson’s absence won’t totally rule out Wentz’s chances. Still, there’s a possibility that center Jason Kelce, and left tackle Jason Peters could be out there, which would inevitably increase the chances of Wentz getting onto the field.

Recently, Jason Peters told Les Bowen of The Philadelphia Inquirer that he thinks he might get a halves work of football in on Thursday against Baltimore. If that’s the case, some other starters could be preparing for some playing time as well. And if the Eagles do happen to trot out the starters they have fully healthy, there shouldn’t be any reason why Wentz can’t go as well.

As of right now though, nothing is official. As we’ve seen over the last couple of weeks, Pederson won’t be making any announcements until moments before the coin toss. So don’t hold your breath waiting for a decision, because we won’t know for sure until Thursday evening.