Philadelphia Eagles coach Doug Pederson has already seen promising results after shortening Carson Wentz's delivery and streamlining his footwork.
Now Pederson wants his rookie quarterback to concentrate on protecting the rest of his body.
As impressive as Wentz has been in his first two NFL starts, it's obvious that he needs to exercise better judgment to avoid bone-crunching hits in and out of the pocket.
"I think it's hard to rewire him. I just think you need to constantly keep talking with him and showing him," Pederson said Wednesday, "going back and showing him those plays on tape and just making him aware and conscious of ... I don't need the extra yard right here.
"It's OK to throw the ball away, it's OK to step out of bounds or slide ... not only for his longevity but obviously for the team as well. You want to make sure your quarterback, especially your starting quarterback, is the guy that's protecting himself the most."
Durability was a major question for Wentz entering this season. He missed eight games with a broken wrist at North Dakota State last season and cracked a rib in the preseason opener last month.
The modern NFL features legislation specifically designed to protect quarterbacks from injury -- as long as they show the proper instincts to get rid of the ball quickly and not force the action.
Wentz has proven to be a quick study to date. If Pederson sits him down and forces him to watch a running loop of ill-advised scrambles by the reckless duo of Robert Griffin III and Josh McCown, the lesson should sink in rather quickly.
