Eagles plan a redshirt, sideline year for new QB Carson Wentz

Philadelphia Eagles head coach Doug Pederson plans to keep Carson Wentz near him on the sideline this season.

Asked Monday as rookies reported with quarterbacks for the start of camp, Pederson said a redshirt year awaits the No. 2 overall pick based on the best-laid plans of the first-year head coach.

"We don't know it will be his entire rookie year; we can't speculate that far out," Pederson said. "But going into the season, there is a good chance it starts that way."

Wentz allowed Monday that he understand there is "a process" for working his way onto the field.

What is abundantly clear based on Pederson's shared thoughts: Wentz has been as good as advertised to date.

"Just the fact that he came in ready to go. You just love everything about this kid. His energy, his work ethic, you know, it's just little things now, detailed things in his footwork, his drop, the progressions and where his eyes are," said Pederson, a driving force in Philadelphia trading multiple first-round picks in the deal to land the North Dakota State product in April. "Those are the things in the National Football League from a quarterback standpoint that really become very important on a game day. And those are the things that we've got to continue to work with him on throughout camp."

Sam Bradford enters camp as the No. 1 quarterback and Chase Daniel, a comfortable operator in Pederson's West Coast scheme from their time together in Kansas City under former Eagles coach Andy Reid, is second on the depth chart.

The window opens in preseason games for backups to make an impression.

It's unlikely Bradford, who has a serious history of injuries in his career, will play in the preseason opener and only a quarter or less of the second game before the so-called dress rehearsal in preseason game No. 3.

"With all three quarterbacks you really want him to be in a position to where if there's an injury or if somebody goes down, you plug him in and you don't have any worries," Pederson said. "You're fully confident and comfortable in his ability to take over, because as back-up quarterbacks, they need to be ready to go at an instant. What I mean by that is they need to be starter ready. So for Chase and Carson - and Chase has been through it - but for Carson, you want him to be starter ready come game time."