Indianapolis Colts quarterback Jacob Eason has been running with the first-team offense ever since starter Cason Wentz went down with a foot injury on Thursday.
As Wentz is out indefinitely until the team gets more information for their decision moving forward, Eason will be making the most out of the first-team reps he’s getting with the offense.
“It’s definitely different, but at the same time it’s good for me as a player to get in there, get those reps, get that exposure, getting in and out of the huddle, seeing what’s going on in the defense,” Eason told reporters Saturday. “It’s definitely very different than it was last year and it happened quick but I’m very glad and fortunate to be getting these reps right now.”
The Colts are sending Wentz to foot specialist Dr. Robert Anderson in hopes of getting a recommendation on what they should do next in terms of surgery or rehab. In the meantime, Eason will be QB1.
It hasn’t all been roses, though, especially on the field. Eason has struggled with consistency to open camp, and it’s been reflected in practice. During team drill on Saturday, Eason finished 10-for-22 with a red-zone touchdown pass to Michael Pittman Jr. and two interceptions, per George Bremer of The Herald Bulletin.
After sitting behind Philip Rivers and Jacoby Brissett for his entire rookie season, essentially using it as a redshirt, Eason is finally getting to watch himself on tape to improve various aspects of his game.
“It’s huge. It’s watching yourself, seeing your decisions, your progressions, your progress. It’s a lot different watching someone else do it. You can’t really always see what they’re thinking, but you can talk about it,” Eason said. “When you do it, you know what you were thinking, you know what you were seeing, you can make those self-corrections.”
Getting those reps are key for Eason’s development. Making mistakes is part of the process, especially for a young quarterback with little experience, and the Colts are hoping Eason is able to use that to make progress in his development.
“Well yeah, the biggest thing is we just want to continue getting him reps. There are plays that he hadn’t seen and this is his first time getting the live rep. He’s going to learn from it, he’s going to make the mistakes,” said offensive coordinator Marcus Brady on Friday. “He made some good plays, he made some bad plays and we just have to continue to grow and make sure that he’s improving and learning from those mistakes.”
The Colts aren’t sure yet when Wentz will return, but Eason will be the one leading the offense. The second-year quarterback is taking it day-by-day without getting overwhelmed with the big picture as he tries to help the Colts stay afloat.
“I’m just taking it a day at a time – one day at a time, one practice at a time, one rep at a time. Just trying to get better and keep competing. That’s all we’re doing.”
Leave a Reply