The Indianapolis Colts will be without their starting quarterback and center, and a rotational wide receiver for an undetermined amount of time.
Carson Wentz, Ryan Kelly, and Zach Pascal have all been placed on the reserve/COVID-19 list by the Colts. According to a report from NFL Network, all three players are close contacts of a staff member who tested positive for COVID-19, meaning they can return to the field in five days as long as they continue to test negative and remain asymptomatic. Per the league's protocols, only unvaccinated players are are subject to quarantined as high-risk close contacts based on contact tracing, according to the Washington Post.
Wentz, who was acquired from the Philadelphia Eagles earlier this offseason for a 2021 third-round pick and a conditional 2022 second-round pick (it can become a first-round pick if Wentz plays 75% of the Colts' snaps), has been rehabbing from a foot injury that kept him out for much of training camp. He recently returned to practice and there has been speculation that he could even be ready for the beginning of the regular season despite an initial timeline that would have held him out considerably longer.
In Wentz's absence, second-year quarterback Jacob Eason would start under center. Sam Ehlinger was competing with Eason for reps but he recently suffered a knee injury that will keep him out for 5-6 weeks.
Kelly has made back-to-back Pro Bowls and is one of the foundational pieces of an offensive line that is still without star guard Quenton Nelson, who suffered a foot injury of his own during camp. Pascal has worked as one of the team's top three wideouts over the last two seasons, and with T.Y. Hilton likely to miss some time at the beginning of this season, he will presumably work alongside Michael Pittman Jr. and Parris Campbell atop the depth chart.
The defense is loaded. Now can Carson Wentz come through for the Colts? Download the CBS Sports app and get the latest news, insights, and surprising predictions from our team of experts. If you already have the app, make sure to favorite the Colts to get the latest news quickly.
