Tag: Jacob Eason

Colts rookie QB Sam Ehlinger gets first-team reps

Colts rookie QB Sam Ehlinger gets first-team reps for first time at training camp.

Despite Indianapolis Colts head coach Frank Reich saying it wasn’t in the plans, rookie quarterback Sam Ehlinger saw reps with the first-team offense for the first time during training camp on Tuesday.

Ehlinger has shown plenty of poise stepping into the backup role behind Jacob Eason who, up until this point, was the only one working with the starting unit as Carson Wentz works his way back from foot surgery.

Though it seemed there was a bit of separation between the two young passers, we may officially have a quarterback competition—like a real competition—on our hands in Indy.

It wasn’t a terrible first series with the starting offense while facing the starting defense.

This could simply be the Colts wanting to see what Ehlinger looks like with the starting pass-catchers. The offense is without four of its starters on Tuesday—three due to injury while Braden Smith gets a rest day.

Ehlinger’s ability to create offense with his legs makes him an intriguing candidate for Reich’s offense. Conversely, Eason’s skill set is more in the mold of a traditional passer, possessing elite arm talent but without much mobility at all.

Ehlinger has thrived working the short passing game during his reps as the backup. However, his poise, accelerated progression in the offense and ability to create with his legs may give the Colts a chance to use more of their playbook.

It will be interesting to see what the quarterback room looks like moving forward, but we may officially have a quarterback competition on our hands.

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7 takeaways from Colts’ training camp practice No. 10

Notes and observations from Colts training camp practice No. 10 on Sunday.

The Indianapolis Colts were on the field Sunday morning for their 10th training camp practice at the Grand Park Sports Campus in Westfield.

Concluding their second week of practices, the Colts will have a day off Monday before returning again on Tuesday as they prepare to host the Carolina Panthers for joint practices later in the week ahead of the preseason opener.

Here are seven takeaways from Colts training camp practice No. 10 on Sunday:

Expect to see a lot of Jacob Eason during the preseason

Expect to see a lot of Jacob Eason during the Colts preseason games.

The Indianapolis Colts are going to get a good, long look at second-year quarterback Jacob Eason during the preseason while starter Carson Wentz recovers from foot surgery over the next number of weeks.

This isn’t breaking news in the slightest, but head coach Frank Reich made it clear that just because Eason is the new starting quarterback, for now, that doesn’t mean he will see reduced playing time in the preseason—as would have been the case if Wentz was healthy.

“He’s probably going to play a lot more than Carson would play,” Reich said of Eason on Monday.

In order to avoid injuries to starters, the Colts would reduce the number of snaps for players who will hold a significant role. They can’t afford to do that with Eason. He needs the work in case Wentz winds up missing games during the regular season.

After a redshirt rookie season sitting behind Philip Rivers and Jacoby Brissett, the Colts didn’t get a good look at the 2020 fourth-round pick. Now, Eason will be thrown into the fire, and the team will have no choice but to get a long look at the Washington product.

Building Eason’s confidence by stacking practices together is the main goal right now leading up to the preseason.

“As we all know, really at any position but certainly at the quarterback position, confidence is a big deal and there’s only one way to get it, and that’s to execute – execute and stack play-by-play,” Reich said. “As you guys know, the quarterback position is tough. You’re dependent on a lot of other guys, so you can have a few things go wrong that sometimes aren’t your fault but that reflects on you. That’s the job. You have to still find ways to overcome that.”

The Colts will know more about Wentz’s timeline for return after a few weeks of rest following his surgery, but we will get a long look at the former fourth-round pick during the preaseason.

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Frank Reich explains different styles of Jacob Eason, Sam Ehlinger

Colts HC Frank Reich contrasts the skillsets of QBs Jacob Eason and Sam Ehlinger.

The Indianapolis Colts are giving Jacob Eason the chance to earn the starting quarterback role while Carson Wentz recovers from foot surgery, but Sam Ehlinger is making plenty of noise right behind him.

What’s interesting about this competition in the quarterback room is the different styles of play that each passer brings to the field. Eason is the more typical pocket passer with a cannon attached to his right arm while Ehlinger is more adept at creating offense with his legs.

Head coach Frank Reich explained a little bit how he sees their individual skill sets.

“Jacob (Eason) has an elite arm. Jacob’s got an elite arm and he’s big, strong, athletic,” Reich told reporters Wednesday. “That’s the one thing about a guy that has that kind of arm talent. There are certain things that you can do with that kind of arm talent that money can’t buy so to speak. You just have to be able to execute good enough, consistent enough to give yourself the opportunities for those big-play capabilities to show down the field.”

The Colts believed that Eason had the best arm talent in the 2020 draft class, which also included Justin Herbert. There are plenty of improvements that need to be made, but Eason has the arm talent to help give him a boost.

When it comes to Ehlinger, Reich sees a player that has proven he can add a dual-threat quality with his legs.

“They’re both athletic but I think Sam (Ehlinger) is a little bit more of a runner, he proved that in college. He makes a lot of plays with his feet. Sam has a good arm but not the elite arm. He finds ways to get it done,” Reich said of Ehlinger. “When you’re that kind of player, that’s what you do and he’s very good at that and the way – I just alluded to a second ago, it’s like, how do I simplify this to find the play that I know I can make and he has a good knack of doing that.”

Eason is the favorite to be the starting quarterback as long as Wentz is out, and he should be the favorite to start in the preseason games. But the contrast between the two skill sets is why this competition will be interesting to watch.

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6 takeaways from Colts’ training camp practice No. 7

Notes and observations from Colts training camp practice No. 7 on Wednesday.

The Indianapolis Colts were on the field Wednesday for their seventh training camp practice at the Grand Park Sports Campus in Westfield.

With a day off coming on Thursday, the Colts made sure the intensity stayed high as they continue to prepare for the preseason opener against the Carolina Panthers on Aug. 15.

Here are six takeaways from Colts training camp practice No. 7 on Wednesday:

6 takeaways from Colts training camp practice No. 5

Notes and observations from Colts training camp practice No. 5 on Monday.

After a day off, the Indianapolis Colts returned to the practice field for their fifth training camp practice on Monday at the Grand Park Sports Campus in Westfield.

Donning the full pads for the first time at training camp, the Colts turned up the intensity. It was a big day for the defense, especially for a number of edge rushers while the offense continued to focus on prioritizing the run game with Jacob Eason under center.

Here are six takeaways from Colts training camp practice No. 5 on Monday:

6 takeaways from Colts training camp practice No. 5

Notes and observations from Colts training camp practice No. 5 on Monday.

After a day off, the Indianapolis Colts returned to the practice field for their fifth training camp practice on Monday at the Grand Park Sports Campus in Westfield.

Donning the full pads for the first time at training camp, the Colts turned up the intensity. It was a big day for the defense, especially for a number of edge rushers while the offense continued to focus on prioritizing the run game with Jacob Eason under center.

Here are six takeaways from Colts training camp practice No. 5 on Monday:

Former UGA quarterback Jacob Eason may start for Colts

Former UGA quarterback Jacob Eason may start for Indianapolis Colts following Carson Wentz’s foot injury

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Former Georgia Bulldogs and Washington Huskies quarterback Jacob Eason may be in for a larger role this season with the Indianapolis Colts. Eason is starting with the first-team offense following Carson Wentz’s foot injury.

Wentz, who is looking to avoid surgery, is resting and rehabbing his foot at the moment. The Colts received Carson Wentz in a blockbuster trade from the Philadelphia Eagles this offseason. The Indianapolis Colts started Philip Rivers last season, but he retired following their playoff loss to the Buffalo Bills.

Carson Wentz was projected to start for the Colts. Now, the Colts are looking to find a suitable replacement if his rehab does not go well.

Jacob Eason has experience as a starting quarterback in college with Georgia in 2016 and with Washington in 2019. Eason has a powerful arm, but sometimes makes questionable decisions. He does not have much NFL experience.

Eason has the talent to start in the NFL. Will he be ready if Carson Wentz is out?

Fortunately for the Colts, Eason will have much of training camp and the preseason to prepare and get reps. Brett Hundley, Sam Ehlinger and Jalen Morton are Indianapolis’s other options at quarterback. Hundley has the most NFL experience.

Update: Carson Wentz elected to undergo foot surgery, which is expected to sideline him through anywhere between Indianapolis’s regular season opener and Oct. 25 (week seven of NFL season).

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Why the Colts shouldn’t acquire a veteran QB amid Carson Wentz injury

Why the Colts shouldn’t look to acquire a veteran QB amid Carson Wentz injury.

The Indianapolis Colts offense took a hit Monday when head coach Frank Reich revealed starting quarterback Carson Wentz will undergo surgery to correct the foot injury he suffered during the first week of training camp.

Now, the rumors and speculations of trading for potentially available veteran quarterbacks has begun even though—as of this writing—there is no substance of a trade going down.

The timeline for Wentz’s return is murky. It’s extremely broad. Reich told the media that Wentz could return as early as five weeks or as late as 12 weeks from the time of the surgery, which is taking place Monday. So depending on how his rehab goes, the 28-year-old could either be ready for Week 1 or not ready at all until just before the second half of the season.

Because of this, rumors and speculations of the Colts potentially trading for players like Nick Foles, Gardner Minshew or Marcus Mariota are taking place.

But the Colts shouldn’t be considering any of these options. Even if Wentz winds up missing time during the regular season, there shouldn’t be a panic move to acquire a veteran quarterback.

First, there is the timeline for Wentz’s recovery. Even if he does stay out the entirety of the 12 weeks, assuming the rehab goes as planned, he would still be playing in 9-10 regular-season games to end the season.

Giving up future draft capital, which they are already short of in Chris Ballard’s standards, doesn’t make much sense for a seven-game rental.

Second, the options on the market that may be available to the Colts won’t elevate them to a level that will win them a Super Bowl. Even with a healthy Wentz, this roster isn’t ready to make a Super Bowl run. Ballard has said as much this offseason. A competitive playoff team? Sure. But they aren’t in the tier of AFC Super Bowl contenders.

Possibly the biggest reason why the Colts shouldn’t go after a veteran quarterback is due to Jacob Eason. As it stands, the Colts are giving him the keys to be the QB1 if Wentz is to miss time during the regular season.

The Colts used a fourth-round pick on Eason in 2020 but didn’t get to see him work much during that rookie year as he was behind Philip Rivers and Jacoby Brissett.

Now, the Colts finally get a chance to see what Eason can do against NFL competition. Is it going to be pretty? No. In fact, Eason could very much struggle against some of the top defenses the Colts will face early in the season if he plays.

But at least then the Colts know what they have in him and can wait it out until Wentz returns. Will that move cost them games early in the season? Probably. They aren’t likely projected to win much without Wentz in the lineup.

Adding a Minshew, Foles or Jimmy Garoppolo wouldn’t add many wins either. There are reasons they are available for trade. Then, we’re talking about the time it takes to acclimate into the offense. Even for Foles, there would be an adjustment period.

And if the Colts wound up doing that, playing that veteran ahead of Eason, then it raises questions about the point of even selecting Eason in the first place without giving him a shot to prove his worth.

The Colts have a solid roster and will still be a competitive team because of that foundation. But adding a veteran because Wentz might miss time seems like a real panic move when really it would be wiser to hold on to their current assets and see what they have in Eason.

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Jacob Eason ‘in the driver’s seat’ for Colts QB1 job

Colts will turn to QB Jacob Eason as the replacement for Carson Wentz.

Indianapolis Colts quarterback Carson Wentz will be sidelined potentially up to 12 weeks after undergoing surgery on his foot, and the starting quarterback role will fall to second-year passer Jacob Eason.

After confirming to the media Monday that Wentz will undergo surgery, head coach Frank Reich said the starting quarterback role is Eason’s to lose, stating he’s in the driver’s seat.

A fourth-round pick in the 2020 draft, Eason took a redshirt during his rookie season learning behind Philip Rivers and Jacoby Brissett in the quarterback room. Now, without any experience in an NFL game, Eason is the most likely starter for the Colts when they open the season at home against the Seattle Seahawks.

There will likely be some competition for Eason in the room. The Colts signed veteran Brett Hundley and drafted Sam Ehlinger in the sixth round of the 2021 draft. But even Hundley only has nine starts in his career, and eight of them came in 2017.

Wentz is expected to be out on a timeline of roughly 5-12 weeks and even though the Colts will have a better idea in a few weeks what the return time looks like, Eason is likely to open the season as the starter unless his training camp and preseason are completely disastrous.

It will be interesting to see what the Colts offense looks like with Eason under center, but this will be their time to evaluate what they have in the former fourth-round pick.

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