Pro Bowl guard Brooks won’t be left behind

PHILADELPHIA » Pro Bowl guard Brandon Brooks wouldn’t wish a torn Achilles’ tendon on anybody.

It feels like getting kicked in the calf times 100.

But Brooks might make an exception if you jumped on the bandwagon and wrote off his 2019 season after he ruptured the right tendon in the playoffs against the New Orleans Saints last season.

Brooks literally hit the field running Thursday with the rest of his teammates as the Eagles began training camp. Though Brooks participated in the individual, not the team sessions, suiting up and showing up for the first day of camp qualifies as a fairly startling development considering the surgery was barely seven months ago.

“You know, it’s interesting because when the injury happened, we’re not supposed to pay attention to the noise,” Brooks said referencing outside opinions. “But at the same time, we pay attention to the noise. All of the sudden my 2019 season was in jeopardy and all this other crap. And to be honest, to me it was never in doubt like if I was going to play in 2019. That was never a doubt in my mind.

“I’m feeling good out here. And I’m feeling good to be back with my teammates.”

Brooks wasn’t the only veteran coming off injury who dressed out to be part of the pre-camp breakdown featuring center Jason Kelce, whose oratory rivaled the Super Bowl LII parade rant at the Art Museum. More on that in a few moments.

While Brooks anticipates practicing in a couple of weeks and hopes to be ready for the start of the regular season, there’s less optimism about the return of cornerback Jalen Mills. The Eagles placed him and his surgically repaired foot on the active-PUP list to preserve a roster space. It’s already been a lengthy rehab as Mills was hurt in Week 8 of the 2018 season.

“It’s all about a process as far as going out there and being myself, being able to be the player I was before the injury,” Mills said. “There’s no timetable, not right now.”

Eagles defensive tackle Fletcher Cox (foot), safety Rodney McLeod (knee), cornerback Ronald Darby (knee), defensive

MEDIANEWS GROUP PHOTO Eagles break the huddle to begin training camp at the NovaCare Complex. Jason Kelce gave a speech that rivaled his Super Bowl LII parade rant performed at the Art Museum.