September 05, 2018
We're not even to the first game of the 2018 NFL season, and the Philadelphia Eagles are already dealing with a number of significant injuries (and a suspension) to major contributors. The Atlanta Falcons, meanwhile, will be heading into Philly very healthy.
Here's the Eagles-Falcons final injury report before game day.
• QB Carson Wentz: Has this been discussed at all this week, or through the spring and summer? I'm not sure. Anyway, Nick Foles will start.
• WR Alshon Jeffery: Jeffery will reportedly be back closer to Week 3 as he continues to recover from his rotator cuff surgery. In his absence, Mike Wallace and Nelson Agholor will start, and I would expect that the Eagles will employ more two-TE sets than usual.
• WR Mack Hollins: The Eagles will also be without their No. 4 receiver. After Wallace and Agholor, the remaining healthy receivers on the roster are Shelton Gibson, Markus Wheaton, and DeAndre Carter.
• LB Nigel Bradham: Bradham is serving a one-game suspension stemming from his "cabana boy" incident in 2016. He was the Eagles' best linebacker last season, and will be missed against a Falcons offense that has two good running backs in Devonta Freeman and Tevin Coleman. Linebacker Nate Gerry said on Monday that the Eagles' linebacker rotation, which will include himself, Jordan Hicks, and Kamu Grigier-Hill, will be matchup-based.
• DT Timmy Jernigan (back): Jernigan will start the season on the NFI list, which is essentially an extension of the PUP list, meaning he'll be out for at least the first six weeks of the season, though it'll likely extend beyond that. Jernigan was very productive early in the season last year, but his play tailed off a bit down the stretch. He'll be replaced in the lineup by a combination of Destiny Vaeao and free agent acquisition Haloti Ngata.
• ST Chris Maragos (knee): Maragos is still recovering from a serious knee injury suffered Week 6 last year against the Carolina Panthers. He'll start the season on PUP, so he'll miss at least the first six games. Like Jernigan, it is not anticipated that Maragos will be ready at the conclusion of those six weeks.
• TE Richard Rodgers (knee): Rodgers had a good training camp, and looked like he could be a quality third tight end. However, he injured his knee on a touchdown reception from Nate Sudfeld in the preseason, and has been seen walking around the NovaCare Complex in a bulky cast. As a result, the team kept a fourth tight end, Joshua Perkins, at final cutdowns. Rodgers will have to stay on IR for at least eight weeks, after which point the team can decide to use one of their two "return from IR" designations on him at any time.
• OG Ben Garland (calf): Garland is a backup offensive lineman who started against the Eagles in the divisional round of the playoffs last year with Andy Levitre out. Levitre is healthy again, and will play.
• CB Isaiah Oliver (ankle): Oliver was a second-round pick of the Falcons this year, but he's buried for the time being behind a trio of corners in Marcus Trufant, Robert Alford, and Brian Poole.
• CB Blidi Wreh-Wilson (shoulder): Third-team corner, but obviously, with two corners already out, the Falcons can't afford another corner injury during the game.
• LS Josh Harris (hip): The Falcons have a long snapper on their practice squad, so he'll get called up if Harris can't go.
None.
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