The Colts’ Tuesday practice was notable for how the team elected to divide the reps at quarterback.
With Carson Wentz still out for a significant period of time, sixth-round pick Sam Ehlinger got his first chance to run with the starting offense. Quarterback Jacob Eason had been taking the first-team reps since Wentz got hurt. But on Tuesday he shared those duties with Ehlinger.
After the session, head coach Frank Reich said the change was about giving the team more opportunities for evaluation.
“It wasn’t Jacob doing anything wrong,” Reich said, via Stephen Holder of TheAthletic.com. “This is a meritocracy and Sam has looked good so we decided to split it up. The good news is they both looked sharp today. We’ll continue to split those reps.”
The Colts have a pair of joint practices with the Panthers this week, which should prove to be a strong test for both Eason and Ehlinger. If either quarterback does well against an opponent, that could give him a leg up in replacing Wentz until the former No. 2 overall pick is ready to return.
The timeline for Wentz’s return is still unclear following his surgery last week. The Colts are slated to know more once the QB begins his rehab next week.