Eagles quarterback Nate Sudfeld has successful surgery and might miss just six weeks
Coach Doug Pederson said Thursday night that the team would not pursue another quarterback for now.
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The Eagles could have backup quarterback Nate Sudfeld available again in about six weeks after successful surgery Friday on his broken left wrist.
A source close to the situation confirmed that scenario, first reported by ESPN’s Adam Schefter. The optimistic prognosis presumably means Sudfeld’s break did not result in a dislocation.
Sudfeld left Thursday night’s Eagles preseason-opening loss to the Tennessee Titans just before halftime after falling backward from a late hit and bracing himself with his left wrist, which crumpled as he hit the ground. Sudfeld left the field at halftime with the arm in an air cast, and after the game, Eagles coach Doug Pederson confirmed a break.
There is considerable focus on Sudfeld as the primary backup to Carson Wentz this season, with Nick Foles now in Jacksonville, where the Eagles will play next in the preseason game, on Aug. 15. Wentz has missed the stretch drive and playoffs with injuries the last two seasons.
Sudfeld is embarking on his third Eagles season, his fourth in the NFL, but has appeared in just three regular-season games, all with the Eagles. He completed 10-of-18 passes for 177 yards against the Titans, including a 75-yard touchdown pass.
Although the surgery news was good, for Sudfeld and the team, one of the focuses of this preseason was going to be evaluating Sudfeld, who has only been in one previous Eagles training camp, that being last year, as the third QB. Coaches were hoping to get him more game experience this preseason, some of it against higher-grade competition than he faced as the third-stringer. That’s all out the window now.
Pederson said Thursday night that the team would not pursue another quarterback for now and that what happened to Sudfeld would not change his mind about his preseason plans for Wentz -- whatever those plans might be. Wentz was held out of the preseason opener.
Friday’s Sudfeld news might reinforce the notion of not pursuing another quarterback while he heals. Cody Kessler and fifth-round rookie Clayton Thorson finished the game for the Eagles.