Eagles QB Carson Wentz says he won't play Thursday vs. Jets

The hope of Eagles quarterback Carson Wentz to play in the preseason finale ended when a CT scan revealed that one of his injured ribs is not fully healed. He is able to practice but is still not cleared for contact and will be out when the New York Jets visit Philadelphia on Thursday night.

"But I'll be ready for Week 1," Wentz said Monday.

Wentz suffered a hairline fracture in his 10th and 11th ribs on Aug. 11. The 10th rib is healed, but the 11th rib is only 60 percent healed. That presents too much of a risk to rush him into the fourth preseason game, even if it was supposed to offer the rookie quarterback his most playing time of the summer.

Wentz wanted to get one more game in before the season begins, and the goal had been to play on Thursday. Wentz's preseason work will now be limited to 24 passes in the first preseason game.

"Obviously, where we are this late in the process, as far as training camp goes, it definitely hurts from a young quarterback standpoint, his position to fully grasp and understand the offense," coach Doug Pederson said. "But, again, I just go back to what I see in the classroom, what I see off the field, his work habit here, his work ethic here, and just what he knows and understands. And the situation where it is right now with Sam [Bradford] and Chase [Daniel], and then him — obviously going into the season as the third — it doesn't concern me as much right now."

Wentz had "two good workouts" last week, Pederson said. One was at the stadium before Saturday's preseason game, and Wentz impressed the team's brass during the session. Wentz passed and moved without issue. Still, he wasn't surprised that the prognosis stretched beyond Thursday.

"I could still feel it," Wentz said. "For a broken bone to be healed this quick would have been kind of surprising. So I'm not really surprised. Just kind of frustrated."

Wentz said he's able to do "most things" in practice, and he wore his helmet for the start of Monday's session.

Wentz did not know the plan for his practice work during the season. Pederson said it would be difficult to give Wentz any practice reps because the focus is on getting Bradford ready for games. Wentz will need to run the scout team and can work individually with coaches.

Wentz said he is not keeping track of rookie quarterbacks elsewhere. Fourth-round pick Dak Prescott is expected to start for Dallas on opening day, creating inevitable comparisons to top picks such as Wentz, Los Angeles' Jared Goff, and Denver's Paxton Lynch.

Wentz said his goal is to prepare for Week 1 against the Cleveland Browns — a game in which he is not expected to play. The plan remains to list Wentz among the inactives early in the season. He reiterated that's not his decision, and he'll be ready whenever he's called upon. Whenever it happens, he'll only have one preseason game of experience.

"It's going to be a long career," Wentz said. "It's a marathon, so I'm trying not to get too down about it."