Top draft pick Reagor expected to miss 6 weeks
PHILADELPHIA » Eagles first-round pick Jalen Reagor has suffered a complex ligament tear in his thumb that necessitates surgery. The ulnar collateral ligament tear is identical to one that sidelined Saints quarterback Drew Brees for six weeks last season.
Reagor is expected to go on injured reserve. He played through pain Sunday and caught four passes for 41 yards, playing 60 of 71 snaps in the 37-19 loss to the Rams.
The UCL is the place where the thumb intersects the hand. A UCL tear makes it difficult to grip and pinch. The Eagles speculated Wednesday that Reagor would have a timetable for return similar to Brees.
Reagor stretched the field in the opener for the Eagles with a 55-yard reception.
“It’s going to be a big loss, for sure,” tight end Dallas Goedert said. “He’s a young player who was starting to hit his stride and I think he’s going to be climbing all season. Obviously when you lose your last two first-round picks it takes a toll on the offense. But we’re going to be alright. We’re going to fight through without him and be excited when he comes back.”
JJ Arcega-Whiteside, who played 16 snaps against the Rams, and rookie John Hightower, who got just seven snaps, are the next men up for the Eagles, as Alshon Jeffery still hasn’t been cleared to practice.
Hightower has one reception for a two-yard loss, Arcega-Whiteside has zero catches this season.
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Elsewhere on the Eagles’ injury front, defensive tackle Fletcher Cox was held out of practice to rehab an ailing oblique. It’s a cautionary move, as the Eagles consider it a day to day injury.
Safety Rudy Ford, a special teams standout, has a groin injury and is week to week, per the Eagles.
Offensive tackle Lane Johnson (ankle) was limited, as was center Jason Kelce (rest) and offensive tackle Jason Peters (rest).
Wide receiver DeSean Jackson and
defensive tackle Malik Jackson received planned days off Wednesday.
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The Eagles are 6 ½-point favorites over the winless Bengals, who they oppose Sunday at Lincoln Financial Field. Both teams are among 11 with 0-2 records entering Week 3, a list that includes the Falcons, Panthers, Broncos, Lions, Dolphins, Vikings, Texans, Giants and Jets.
Since 2007, only 12 of 107 (11.2 percent) teams that started 0-2 reached the playoffs. Nine teams started 0-2 last season. None made the postseason.
The Eagles are at a crossroads, for the schedule stiffens after this weekend.
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The Eagles have five dropped passes (Zach Ertz, Dalla Goedert, Greg Ward, Hightower, DJack), tied with six teams for third in the league.
The Bengals have two dropped passes (Giovani Bernard, Tyler Boyd).
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Javon Hargrave played 25 snaps against the Rams but didn’t show up on the stat sheet. The Eagles are counting on Hargrave, who got his first action since injuring a pectoral muscle, to give the pass rush a turbo boost.
The Eagles have four sacks in two games, Brandon Graham and Josh Sweat the only regulars with a full sack each.
“I think we have a real talented group,” said Hargrave, who couldn’t recall how he suffered the pectoral injury. “I think you’re going to see us pick up some.”
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NOTES » The Eagles are giving up 32 points per game. The league average is
25.2 points allowed. The Eagles average 18 points. The league average is 25.2 points. … Only the Lions and the Texans have fewer takeaways than the Eagles, who recovered a fumbled Rams punt. “We need to create turnovers,” cornerback Avonte Maddox said.