Eagles’ Doug Pederson: No need to give Jason Peters time off
It sounds as if Haloti Ngata might be ready to return; Darren Sproles, other injured Eagles are harder to peg.
Eagles coach Doug Pederson said that left tackle Jason Peters will practice Wednesday and should play Sunday against Carolina.
Peters, 36, is the most prominent of a group of banged-up Birds entering the practice week. Answers on other players' status were harder to come by. Running back/returner Darren Sproles, out since the week after the opener with a hamstring injury, is "day to day," Pederson said. Ditto safety Corey Graham, also hamstrung, since the Minnesota game. Pederson seemed to indicate that defensive tackle Haloti Ngata is ready to return from a calf injury, after a two-game absence, but that 2017 DT starter Tim Jernigan stilll isn't all the way recovered from offseason back surgery.
Ngata pretty much has to come back, unless there is a roster move pending. Tuesday, the team released Destiny Vaeao, who started and played 28 snaps against the Giants last week. Fletcher Cox and Treyvon Hester are the only other defensive tackles on the roster. Rookie Bruce Hector, who saw early-season action, is on the practice squad.
Right tackle Lane Johnson (ankle) "will be monitored" in practice Wednesday, Pederson said. He said that "there was something" in the MRI that Peters got for a biceps tear, but that it won't keep Peters from appearing in his 173rd NFL game Sunday at Lincoln Financial Field.
Peters, already struggling with a quadriceps injury suffered Week 2 vs. Tampa Bay, injured his left biceps tendon last Thursday at the Giants and left the game. When Johnson had to leave as well, after tweaking his injured ankle, the Eagles had to move left guard Isaac Seumalo to right tackle, play backup Halapoulivaati Vaitai at left tackle, and bring back deposed starter Stefen Wisniewski at left guard.
Pederson has already said that nickel cornerback Sidney Jones is "week to week" with the hamstring injury he suffered against the Giants.