Getty Andre Dillard is in a heated competition for the starting left tackle job for the Philadelphia Eagles.
Shorter practices and no tackling to the ground have limited major injuries through the first two weeks of Philadelphia Eagles’ training camp. That extreme caution took an odd, twisting turn on Tuesday morning at several key positions.
Prior to practice, the Eagles announced Ryan Kerrigan underwent surgery on his injured thumb. The veteran defensive end will miss 7-10 days as he recovers but could potentially be ready to go for Week 1. Look for rookie pass rusher Tarron Jackson – sixth-round pick of Coastal Carolina – to eat up those extra snaps, with undrafted rookie JaQuan Bailey getting an extended look. Matt Leo is out with COVID-19.
The Kerrigan injury was the (kind of) good news. Free agent signee Michael Walker was carted off the field with an apparent leg injury after winning a rep on a nifty double move. Later in the day, Philadelphia waived Walker with an injury designation and replaced him with Marken Michel. The undrafted receiver spent the 2020 campaign on the Eagles’ practice squad after an impressive preseason. He inked a futures contract that year before being waived. Michel is the older brother of New England Patriots running back Sony Michel.
Marken Michel was GONE.
The loss of Walker doesn’t mean too much in the grand scheme of things, except for creating more reps for guys bubble guys like J.J. Arcega-Whiteside, Jhamon Ausbon, Andre Patton. Michel will have to get up to speed quickly to make any impact. John Hightower (groin) remains out and the rest of the injury report included:
Other injuries…
LIMITED
Brooks – hamstring strain
Leo – ramping back up
Walker – foot
Seumalo – hamstring
DAY-TO-DAY
Arnold – hamstring
Avery – groin
Croom – knee
James – foot
WEEK-TO-WEEK
Hightower – groin
Smith – knee
Stevens – hamstring
D. Taylor – calf
Tucker – biceps
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Andre Dillard Sprains Knee, Competition Over
Nick Sirianni said there was still no clear-cut winner in the left tackle competition between Andre Dillard and Jordan Mailata. His comments came before Dillard sprained his knee during Tuesday’s practice. The third-year player is officially listed week-to-week, although it’s hard to see him coming back and beating out Mailata.
#Eagles LT Andre Dillard suffered a knee sprain recently, source said, and after an MRI is considered week-to-week.
The big Aussie was already winning the battle pretty handily before Dillard went down. Howard Eskin of SportsRadio 94WIP hinted that the competition was over: “Now we know Dillard won’t start Week 1. Will miss too much camp.” Dillard and Mailata were both listed as the first-team left tackles on the team’s initial depth chart.
“We’re still looking at that. We still got another practice to evaluate and see who we want to go in there,” Sirianni told reporters before Tuesday’s practice. “But, again, yeah, we got another practice to see who it is. Not going to name that right yet.”
K’Von Wallace Suffers Groin Strain
Another key injury hit the Eagles’ secondary on Tuesday when K’Von Wallace went down. The second-year safety suffered a groin strain and was listed week-to-week. Wallace was expected to start alongside Anthony Harris in the first preseason game with Rodney McLeod out. That job will be handed to either Marcus Epps or Andrew Adams.
Marcus Epps led the #Eagles in interceptions in 2020.
That says a lot.
Epps should have the inside track considering he started five games last season, plus the 25-year-old played for the Minnesota Vikings in 2019. Defensive coordinator Jonathan Gannon and linebackers coach Nick Rallis both learned under Vikings head coach Mike Zimmer and run similar concepts. Grayland Arnold, Blake Countess, Elijah Riley round out the depth chart at safety.
Also, cornerback Craig James left Tuesday’s practice with a left a foot injury. He showed up on the sideline in a walking boot.
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Eagles WR Carted Off Field, LT Battle Takes Brutal Turn