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Might at least five Philadelphia Eagles starters be missing in Week 1?

By Geoffrey Knox

MINNEAPOLIS, MN - FEBRUARY 04: Alshon Jeffery #17 of the Philadelphia Eagles celebrates after a 34-yard touchdown catch against the New England Patriots during the first quarter in Super Bowl LII at U.S. Bank Stadium on February 4, 2018 in Minneapolis, Minnesota. (Photo by Patrick Smith/Getty Images)
MINNEAPOLIS, MN - FEBRUARY 04: Alshon Jeffery #17 of the Philadelphia Eagles celebrates after a 34-yard touchdown catch against the New England Patriots during the first quarter in Super Bowl LII at U.S. Bank Stadium on February 4, 2018 in Minneapolis, Minnesota. (Photo by Patrick Smith/Getty Images) /
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The Philadelphia Eagles have been without a few of their most important cogs for quite a while now. Is it time to start getting nervous about the opener?

Week 1 of the NFL regular season is approaching. The Philadelphia Eagles are without several of their important cogs. Starting defensive tackle Timmy Jernigan is still recovering from surgery, and even the Philly media has stopped asking when he’ll be back. Carson Wentz has a target date of Week 1 for his return, but just this week he was quoted as saying if he’s going to hit that target, ‘It’s going to be close’.

Then there’s Nelson Agholor and Alshon Jeffery. They haven’t practiced in about a week. The Philly media’s been asking if Jeffery and Brandon Graham might start Week 1 on the PUP (physically unable to perform) list. As expected, when asked, head coach Doug Pederson wouldn’t give any definitive answer on whether or not that’s accurate.

We haven’t even brought up the fact that Nigel Bradham will have to sit out of game one thanks to a suspension and a developing story surrounding Corey Clement sitting out thanks to a lower body issue. From the outside, it appears that bodies are racking up.

Here’s a dark cloud’s silver lining.

There are a few ways to spin this. Sure, we could go ‘gloom and doom’, but here’s the thing. Each player named will play in 2018. We just have to be patient and remain confident that team coaches and doctors will make the appropriate decision in each individual case.

From the outside looking in, it appears as though it’s been the most difficult to create a timetable for Jernigan’s return, but there are bright sides. Other guys have gotten more reps. We’ve learned Shelton Gibson can play. Mike Wallace has gotten more comfortable with each passing day.

On defense, Josh Sweat has shown signs, and so has Kamu Grugier-Hill and Avonte Maddox.

Perhaps a team that battled injuries at the end of 2017 can get healthy earlier a season later and march through 2018 at full strength? It’s a nice thought. We’ll have to wait and see what happens.

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