The Eagles have released their final injury report of week one and it’s pleasantly surprising.
FRIDAY
Did not practice/ OUT for Sunday: LB Kamu Grugier-Hill, OT Jordan Mailata, QB Nate Sudfeld
Limited in practice: Nobody
Full participants: DE Derek Barnett (shoulder), OG Brandon Brooks (achilles) WR Alshon Jeffery (biceps)
All players listed as full participants have either missed practice at some point this week or been limited. Alshon Jeffery picked up a knock earlier in the week but has been given the green light ahead of Sunday’s clash with Washington, while Derek Barnett should be good to go, with Doug Pederson claiming he’s ‘confident’ in his pass-rusher taking to the field earlier in the week.
What’s most surprising of all though, is that Brandon Brooks has not been listed as ‘OUT’. Brooks suffered a torn Achilles in the playoff loss to New Orleans and has spent the entire offseason working his way back. Brooks wasted little time getting back into the thick of it, showing up for OTA’s and Training Camp, trying to get in the weight room and take part in individual action as much as the training staff would let him. It was automatically assumed that Big V would be the team’s starting RG for week one and while that’s still probably the case, the fact Brooks could be suiting up just months after the heartbreaking injury is astonishing. The road to recovery has been a long one, but it was expected Brooks would at least miss a few games, not be potentially in-line to suit up and be one play away from taking a snap.
He could still be listed as inactive and that’s likely the case, but this is an extremely encouraging sign.
What’s just as encouraging is the fact that all players who sustained injuries last year (with the exception of Jalen Mills) appear to be fully fit and ready to go. Is it possible that players like Fletcher Cox and Ronald Darby are eased back and don’t see a full workload to begin with? Absolutely, but the fact the Eagles have such a stellar bill of health in wake of a truly crushing season of injuries, is beyond impressive.
Mandatory Credit: Bill Streicher-USA TODAY Sports
