PHILADELPHIA (973espn.com) - Carson Wentz thought he would be back in team drills when the Eagles returned to practice after their preseason game in New England and it looks like that will be the case.

"I think right now the plan is hopefully next week we can progress back into 11-on-11 and everything," Wentz said earlier in the week. "That is the plan going forward and it will just be constant communication with coaches and doctors as we progress."

Wentz is still not cleared for contact, however, and there remains no plan to play the superstar quarterback in the preseason, making his status for Atlanta on Sept. 6 up in the air.

Wentz has been consistent in his belief that he does not need any cursory reps in a live, dress-up environment to play in Week 1 and coach Doug Pederson has mentioned one full week of practice after being cleared for contact as the goal for Wentz to be out there against the Falcons.

"I think if you are hypothetically, which you know me I don't get into hypotheticals," Pederson said, "I think that you would want at least a full week of preparation."

The final hurdle from Wentz's torn ACL and LCL remains the doctors call. Typically there is a nine-month timetable for such an injury with a high-level athlete and Wentz was injured on Dec. 10 of last year and has surgery three days after that. Nine months from the latter date is Sept. 13, exactly one week after the season opener.

Wentz, though, has beaten every benchmark to date when it comes to his rehab and made it through all 15 practices of training camp without taking a day for swelling or pain.

Wentz actually took part in 11-on-11 drills at the start of training camp but was pulled after a few days, not coincidentally after a scrum got a little too close to the signal caller's legs is one drill. Since then Pederson and the organization have scaled back to the more "controlled environments" like individual work and 7-on-7 drills.

EAGLES MAKE MINOR ROSTER MOVE

-With injuries piling up at receiver (the latest being Bryce Treggs' hamstring tweak against the Pats) the Eagles made a minor roster move on Saturday, signing former Philadelphia Soul Arena Bowl MVP Darius Prince. To make room for Prince on the roster Philadelphia waived defensive tackle Adam Reth.

-John McMullen covers the Eagles and the NFL for 973espn.com. You can reach him at jmcmullen44@gmail.com or on Twitter @JFMcMullen

 

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