The number one storyline for Eagles fans after the last piece of confetti fell on Broad St. was the progress of franchise quarterback Carson Wentz. The less-than-inspiring play of the Eagles’ first-team offense throughout the preseason has only served to brighten the spotlight on Wentz’s health, and as the season-opener approaches, there have been mixed reviews.
While it looks as though Wentz getting on the field for week one is going to be a close call, ESPN’s Tim McManus wrote a fascinating story on the technology the Eagles have used to aid them in getting Wentz back to health. That story contained an encouraging nugget: when it comes to velocity and accuracy, Wentz is actually performing better than he was pre-injury. As we wait for Wentz to clear the final hurdle in his recovery, being cleared for contact, we can take some solace in the fact he is approaching and/or exceeding his previous levels.
Wentz and his health will rightfully be the large takeaway from McManus’s story, but there’s another nearly-as-important takeaway: the Eagles being way ahead of the curve in utilizing developing technology and the additional data it can provide. In addition to workloads and rehab schedules, there is a host of other applications for this new data, and as it becomes more ubiquitous the Eagles are in an excellent position to exploit it better and faster than much of the competition.
Some Philadelphia franchises (I’m looking at you Flyers, and to a lesser extent Phillies) have been considered slow to adapt, and it’s nice to see the Eagles ahead of the curve and working every advantage available.
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