THE DROP-BACK: Monday 08/02 - carson wentz probs

colts

• ​Indianapolis Colts quarterback Carson Wentz is hurt (again). The team is hoping for a minor setback and not a major one, but the more reports come out, the worse they get. It started with just a "twinge" at practice and then escalated into "might need surgery" in about an hour. Wentz will visit with a foot specialist (what a title), Robert Anderson, to determine the injury's severity.

Update on #Colts QB Carson Wentz: He will see noted foot specialist Robert Anderson in the near future, sources tell me and @RapSheet. A firmer timeline for his return will be established at that point. For now, the team is taking solace in Week 1 still being 6 weeks away.

— Mike Garafolo (@MikeGarafolo) July 30, 2021

• UPDATE: Wentz will not have surgery right away, and will rest the injury for now and hope it improves. If it worsens, Wentz could risk surgery and won't be available for the season opener.

#Colts QB Carson Wentz plans to try to rest and rehab his foot injury over the next few days, source said, rather than have immediate surgery. If all goes well, Week 1 is in play. If it doesn’t improve, the answer may be surgery.

— Ian Rapoport (@RapSheet) August 1, 2021

Browns

• Cleveland Browns quarterback Baker Mayfield and star wide receiver Odell Beckham Jr. haven't been able to precisely get on the same page since they've been together due to various things. This could be the year when they click. Mayfield said the two are working on building on more chemistry in year three. "When it comes down to the chemistry stuff, every rep matters for us, but then just the terminology and speaking outside the building, not just about football. That goes such a long way when it comes to chemistry and that trust factor, and we've made huge strides." Cleveland is coming off their best year in a (very) long time, and OBJ could be a piece that elevates them even higher.

• Browns GM Andrew Berry is also counting on another good season for Mayfield and depends on him to build upon last year's success. "He's made a ton of growth both on and off the field. We're looking forward to him having another fantastic season."

Patriots

• The New England Patriots are a team heading into the 2021 season with a question at the quarterback position. Cam Newton is the current starter, but there's still a (minimal) chance that rookie Mac Jones could settle into that spot. That could create some tension between the players, but not in this case. Newton spoke about his support of Jones during the first few days of camp.

Cam Newton says he’s impressed with Mac Jones, including his knowledge of rap music. pic.twitter.com/lUaf6KWm0l

— Mark Daniels (@MarkDanielsPJ) July 30, 2021

• Jones returned the sentiment, saying Newton has been a "great teammate. He's helped me and made it a lot of fun. Your first practices as a rookie are going to be hard, so he just tries to stay positive with me."

• Newton is working hard on improving this season is his decision-making and rhythm while running the offense. "It's just taking the brain longer at times. But hopefully, with a lot of repetitions, it'll be good."

• One quarterback who is OUT of the New England QB competition thus far is Jarrett Stidham​. He had back surgery Friday and is expected to be sidelined for 12 weeks. Damn, have to put my Stidham jersey on ice for a little bit. 

#Patriots QB Jarrett Stidham underwent successful surgery on Wednesday to repair a back injury, sources say. Stidham should be able to return in roughly 12 weeks or so, as the procedure was not season-ending.

— Ian Rapoport (@RapSheet) July 30, 2021

jets

• While he did sign his rookie contract late, New York Jets quarterback Zach Wilson is present and accounted for at training camp. And in true Jets fashion, he was underwhelming in his first practice. I'm going to consider the fact that he took a red-eye across the country, and it's his first day before I start actively making fun of him. Wilson agrees.

“It’s going to be a process.” Zach Wilson says. He doesn’t feel he was behind. It was just first day in a while with “live bullets” #Jets

— DJ Bien-Aime (@Djbienaime) July 30, 2021

ravens

• Baltimore Ravens quarterback Lamar Jackson is currently sidelined with COVID-19 for the second time and is missing quality time meshing with his wide receivers and the rest of the team. While Jackson can't get that time back, offensive coordinator Greg Roman says Jackson is still with the team, only mentally. That's like when I mean to respond to a text, and I respond mentally without actually responding to the person. ​

Ravens OC Greg Roman on Lamar Jackson's absence: "It's certainly not a positive. But we got to create a positive out of this thing. We got to get a great plan when he does come back on how we can try to make up for the time as best we can. That's really the game we have to play."

— Jamison Hensley (@jamisonhensley) July 30, 2021

buccaneers

• As if we need to talk about Tom Brady some more, the Tampa Bay Buccaneers quarterback's knee is one of the hot topics of conversation, and he's sure to be asked about it approximately 650 more times this summer. Brady said Friday that his knee "feels good now." So can we stop?

• Bucs' QBs coach cannot, in fact, stop. Clyde Christensen says he thought everyone knew Brady had a torn MCL. "It kind of surprised me; I thought everyone knew. When I first met him, he said, "Hey, my knee's not 100 percent..." No, we all just assume Brady will be great with any sort of injury ever. Thanks, Clyde.

• There are actually other quarterbacks on the Bucs' roster. Rookie Kyle Trask likely will not start until Brady says he's had enough, but they don't want him to do nothing and not develop. "You know, we try to get our little extra sessions, him and I. That'll be a challenge all season," Christensen said.

cardinals

• Many people have been talking about Aaron Rodgers' comments lately, including Arizona Cardinals quarterback Kyler Murray, who said he appreciated the MVP's honesty.

Kyler Murray was a big fan of the Aaron Rodgers press conference, although he said Rodgers has earned that right.

“People like to sugarcoat s**t. I Iove how honest he was.”

— Darren Urban (@Cardschatter) July 30, 2021

• Speaking of personnel decisions and involving your QB in those decisions, the Cardinals consult Murray from time to time, which is why Rodgers is pissed. Head coach Kliff Kingsbury explained why it's essential to involve your players; it gives them a different perspective. "Those guys have as good a feel for players, players' personalities, and talent as any of us because they have been on the field, and they have worked with them. I do think that goes a long way."

cowboys

• Dallas Cowboys quarterback Dak Prescott is coming off of a horrendous ankle injury. The good news is, his ankle is okay. The bad news is, he has a shoulder injury now. The severity of the injury isn't known, but it's not expected to be that serious. Prescott thinks he could have strained it due to not warming up properly.

Cowboys QB Dak Prescott on shoulder: “I don’t necessarily know if I warmed up properly before I made a certain throw on one of the days.” A long throw. “I wasn’t as warm as I probably needed to be when I threw that.” pic.twitter.com/OM0Xc6BAPh

— Michael Gehlken (@GehlkenNFL) July 30, 2021

bears

• With quarterbacks Justin Fields and Andy Dalton poised to take the Chicago Bears' starting and backup jobs (respectively), what will happen with Nick Foles? Head coach Matt Nagy says he expects teams needing a veteran QB should be calling the team to ask about BDN. "I mean, anybody that's had the career he has is somebody that's always going to be... for all teams, as a third-string guy, teams are going to look at guys like him." Translation - please call about him because we don't know what to do with him.

vikings

• After all but one Minnesota Vikings quarterback decided to take the initiative to get vaccinated, the team is working out QBs for the week after rookie Kellen Mond tested positive for COVID-19. Minnesota will work out some guys named Case Cookus and Jackson Erdmann on Monday. Get vaccinated.

lions

• And, for a feel-good story of the weekend: Detroit Lions players had a watch party for backup quarterback ​David Blough's wife, Melissa Gonzalez, advance in the Olympics (because she's a badass). The best part to me was their good luck video before the race.

We're pulling for you, Melissa❗️ pic.twitter.com/sGuB3sqlR7

— Detroit Lions (@Lions) July 30, 2021