Colts QB Carson Wentz needs surgery, out 5-12 weeks

Indianapolis Colts quarterback Carson Wentz will undergo surgery on his left foot Monday and be sidelined for five-to-12 weeks, coach Frank Reich said.

“Obviously we’re optimistic and hopeful that we can be on the front end of that,” Reich said of the timeline.

Reich told reporters Wentz had a previous foot injury dating back to as far as high school. A broken bone loosened and caused pain for Wentz, Reich said. That bone will be removed entirely during surgery.

Wentz, 28, was acquired from the Philadelphia Eagles in an offseason trade after the retirement of Philip Rivers. Wentz left Thursday’s practice before it was completed.

Wentz has a history of injuries dating to his time at North Dakota State. With the Eagles, he suffered a rib fracture, torn ACL, back injury and concussion.

Jacob Eason ran the first-team offense to end Thursday’s practice and again Friday and Saturday. He was a fourth-round pick in 2020 out of Washington but has no NFL game experience.

“The job is Jacob’s right now … and he’s gotta earn it. But he’s in the driver’s seat,” Reich said.

If the Colts opt to pursue a veteran, Bears backup Nick Foles is expected to be available. He’s the No. 3 quarterback behind Andy Dalton and Justin Fields in Chicago.

The Colts signed quarterback Brett Hundley on Saturday. The 28-year-old will compete with 2021 sixth-round pick Sam Ehlinger (Texas) and undrafted free agent Jalen Morton for a roster spot.

Wentz was selected by the Eagles with the No. 2 overall pick in the 2016 NFL Draft. He was 35-32-1 as a starter, but after a subpar 2020 season, the Eagles decided to turn to 2020 second-round draft pick Jalen Hurts this season.

In Philadelphia, Wentz completed 62.7 percent of his passes for 16,811 yards with 113 touchdowns and 50 interceptions.