August 03, 2019

Eagles LB Kamu Grugier-Hill injures left leg during training camp practice

By Jimmy Kempski
PhillyVoice Staff

UPDATE: According to Mike Garafolo of NFL Network, Kamu Grugier-Hill suffered a "Grade 3 MCL sprain," which Garafolo reports should keep Grugier-Hill out for some regular season games, but is not a season-ending injury.

#Eagles LB Kamu Grugier-Hill suffered a Grade 3 MCL sprain in practice today, sources say. That’s not the best news but also not the worst for the projected starter who has been impressive of late. He’ll likely miss some regular-season time but should be back relatively early.
— Mike Garafolo (@MikeGarafolo) August 3, 2019

If Garafolo's report is correct that Grugier-Hill will be "back relatively early," consider this a bullet dodged. Former NFL doctor David Chao weighed in:

Typically this is a 6-8 week injury and no surgery. @Eagles will just carry him on actove roster untill ready to play. https://t.co/MrYA8gU8kk
— David J. Chao (@ProFootballDoc) August 3, 2019

The Eagles' Week 1 game against Washington is five weeks and a day away.

On a running play during a "live" 11-on-11 tackling session Saturday morning, Philadelphia Eagles linebacker Kamu Grugier-Hill made a tackle on running back Jordan Howard for a short gain. Grugier-Hill immediately grabbed his left knee, and stayed down while trainers looked at him for a minute or so before he slowly walked off the field.

In his post-practice press conference, Doug Pederson categorized it as a lower body injury on his left side, and added that he would be evaluated further Saturday afternoon.

"He's really coming into his own," Pederson said. "He's obviously getting those first-team reps at linebacker, and he's a core special teams player for us. I'm really excited about him and what he brings to our football team. He was a young player who is now really starting to grow into his role and has been good all of camp."

Grugier-Hill was indeed having a very good camp, and was clearly the top linebacker on the team with Nigel Bradham still unable to participate in team drills. Depending on the severity of his injury, Grugier-Hill is poised to become a three-down linebacker for the first time in his career in 2019.

Grugier-Hill is playing in a contract year. He is scheduled to become an unrestricted free agent in 2020.

The Eagles had planned on having two practices in which they tackled to the ground. Saturday was the second such practice of training camp.