Eagles DT Malik Jackson to have Lisfranc surgery and likely be out for season, report says

Defensive tackle Malik Jackson likely will be out for the rest of the season because of the Lisfranc injury he suffered Sunday in the Eagles’ season opener against the Redskins, NFL Network reported Tuesday.

Jackson, part of a deep Eagles defensive line, will have surgery next week, the report said.

Eagles defensive coordinator Jim Schwartz did not directly confirm the news but acknowledged that he will be without Jackson “for a while.” The team prefers that head coach Doug Pederson be the person to confirm injuries. Schwartz and offensive coordinator Mike Groh were scheduled to speak with reporters Tuesday, but Pederson will not be available until Wednesday.

“Malik’s an important part of what we do,” Schwartz said. “We’ll certainly miss him on the field, But we’ve got plenty of guys who can step up and play.”

Schwartz praised veteran defensive tackle Tim Jernigan, who seems fully recovered from last year’s neck injury. Jernigan had the Eagles’ only sack in Sunday’s opener.

Jackson, 29, signed a three-year, $30 million contract as a free agent this offseason after three years in Jacksonville. He wore a walking boot on his left leg after Sunday’s 32-27 victory over Washington.

“I remember just doing a pass rush ... and I was on the ground the next [moment],” he said Sunday. “I don’t know what I did. I just got up and it hurt more than it did the play before.”

Here are some ideas about how the Eagles might respond.