Is Jordan Hicks entering a make or break season with the Eagles?
Philadelphia Eagles middle linebacker Jordan Hicks has a lot on the line this upcoming season.
The injury bug has gotten a hold of many Philadelphia Eagles players over the last season. No player on the Eagles has been more plagued with injuries than middle linebacker Jordan Hicks, though. Recently, Hicks Super Bowl season with the Eagles ended prematurely as he ruptured his Achilles on Monday Night Football almost midway through the season. To this day, Hicks remains somewhat limited in practice as he is working to get back to one-hundred percent.
Hicks shocked the Eagles with his better than advertised talent when he was drafted back in 2015. The former third-round pick was a rising star and had all eyes on him as he was looking at a potential Defensive Rookie of the Year nod. That was until he tore a pectoral muscle, which ended his rookie season early.
As Hicks tried to shake his injury-prone label that he entered the NFL with, he continued to be a regular in the trainer’s room throughout his career. Now, the four-year veteran struggles to avoid the injured reserve. With one year left on his contract, Hicks enters what could be considered a make or break season with the Philadelphia Eagles.
Is there a future in Philly for Hicks?
More from Inside the Iggles
- Eagles captains earn high praise on roster blending veteran leadership, youth
- How former Eagles star Cre’Von LeBlanc helped Renegades upstage Cowboys
- Eagles 2023 schedule: Every WR duo Darius Slay, James Bradberry will battle
- Imagining better names for Jason Kelce’s Good Guy Award
- Bold predictions for the Philadelphia Eagles offense in 2023
The 2018 season will be the final year on Hicks’ rookie contract. Aside from his second season in the NFL, Hicks hasn’t played more than half of a season in his other two years. While he shows signs of being a Pro Bowl-caliber linebacker, the words healthy and Hicks just do not pair up together at all. And at this point in his career, it is almost impossible to visualize the Eagles signing Hicks to a long-term deal considering his history of battling injuries.
This season is lining up to be the most important one yet for young Hicks. Not only does he have to remain healthy for his own career, but he has to be a significant piece in contributing to the Eagles defending their Super Bowl title. In a recent interview with Eagles writer Dave Spadaro, Hicks speaks on what his thoughts are regarding this upcoming season.
"“I’m feeling good,” he said. “I’ve said this all along: I’m ahead of schedule. It’s coming along great. At the same time, we’ve got a little bit of time here. We’re being smart about it. No need to rush anything. I want to get out there when I’m ready and stay out there.”"
A lot is riding on the line for Hicks personally. While he is an essential piece to the Eagles defense while healthy, he is far from trustworthy. His talent is no longer a question mark, but what good is his talent if he cannot avoid the injured reserve? At this point, Hicks will need to compete for all 16 games next season in order to score a long-term future with the Eagles. As hard as it would be to let Hicks leave the Eagles, holding on would only hurt the Eagles financially in the long run.