Foles to start for Eagles vs Bucs; Wentz not cleared to play

Updated Mar. 4, 2020 12:36 p.m. ET

PHILADELPHIA (AP) — Nick Foles made the right choice when he picked the Eagles over the Buccaneers last season.

Foles has a Super Bowl MVP award to show for a tough decision that came down to familiarity. Now he'll get a chance to play against Tampa Bay on Sunday because Carson Wentz still isn't ready to return from knee surgery.

"It was close," Foles said about choosing to return to Philadelphia to play behind Wentz instead of going to the Buccaneers to be the backup for Jameis Winston. "My wife and I were weighing all options. She was pregnant. We decided Philly was our home once before, we loved it, we loved the people, we loved the city, and what better place to bring our daughter into the world."

Foles had committed to Arizona State in high school when Buccaneers coach Dirk Koetter was the coach of the Sun Devils. But the Philly connection won out.

He is 6-1 filling in since Wentz tore two knee ligaments in Week 14 last year. That record includes playoffs and the final regular-season game, in which Foles played only one quarter.

Foles was 19 of 34 for 117 yards, no touchdowns and one interception in Philadelphia's 18-12 win over Atlanta last Thursday.

Wentz had surgery to repair a torn ACL and LCL last Dec. 13 and hasn't been medically cleared to play.

"As training camp progressed, his strength, lower body strength, his upper body strength, all trending in the right direction," coach Doug Pederson said.

Notes: Wentz, WR Alshon Jeffery (shoulder), RB Darren Sproles (hamstring) and WR Shelton Gibson (knee) were limited in Wednesday's practice. ... The Eagles signed WR Kamar Aiken and release WR Markus Wheaton. Aiken was released among the final cuts. Pederson said: "Kamar gives us depth. He gives us experience. He gives us some special teams availability. It's a good fit."

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