Wentz calls knee injury 'freak incident,' but plans to tweak aggressive style
It's hard to deny that the aggressive style of Philadelphia Eagles quarterback Carson Wentz played a role in his ACL and LCL tears last season. With that in mind, the third-year pro recognizes he'll need to make some better decisions on the field, but doesn't want the injury to completely alter his game.
"I think there is always things I can learn from - 'OK, maybe I shouldn't have been so aggressive there,'" Wentz said Wednesday, according to ESPN's Tim McManus. "There is a time and a place for it. Injuries happen.
"I believe this one was kind of a freak incident and that is just part of the game. There is always a learning curve."
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Some may disagree with Wentz calling his ailment a "freak injury," as he hurt his knee diving headfirst into the end zone for a touchdown (which was called back due to a penalty) against the Los Angeles Rams in one of the many impressive but dangerous plays the franchise quarterback made in 2017.
After meeting with new offensive coordinator Mike Groh and quarterbacks coach Press Taylor, Wentz believes all parties are "on the same page" in terms of being more conservative, but he admits he'll still do what got him to this position.
"Overall, as an aggressive player, I am not going to change in that sense, I am just going to keep learning," Wentz said. "I'm going to be learning how to preserve myself, how to be smart, when to take those chances, when it's worthwhile, it's a constant learning throughout my career, but it's definitely something I am taking seriously at the same time."
Overall, Wentz has attempted 110 rushes in 29 games while taking 61 sacks, and regularly flees the pocket as a passer, making himself vulnerable to bigger hits. Following his knee injury, he missed the final three game of the Eagles' regular season and their entire playoff run, but those were the only games he's sat out to date. He's now targeting a return by Week 1 this season, but there's no certainty he'll be ready.