‘Significant injury’ will shelve defensive tackle Jackson
PHILADELPHIA >> Eagles head coach Doug Pederson is fearful of losing tackle Malik Jackson, the defensive centerpiece of the offseason, for an extended period.
Jackson was carted off the field late in the Eagles’ 32-27 win over Washington Sunday with a foot injury that could end his season.
“It’s a significant injury that’s going to require some time,” Pederson said at his Monday news conference. “We’re waiting on some more information.”
Surgery is an option for Jackson, who hurt his left foot, although the testing will sort that out. A roster move could happen as soon as Tuesday. It may involve promoting practice squad defensive tackle Bruce Hector to the active roster.
Tim Jernigan is the likely new starter at tackle next to Fletcher Cox, who, coming off foot surgery, played 44 of 67 snaps in his first action since last season. In 25 snaps Sunday, Jernigan notched the Eagles’ only sack and a quarterback pressure.
Hassan Ridgeway contributed two tackles and a quarterback hurry in 24 snaps at tackle Sunday.
“I thought Jernigan was disruptive at times,” Pederson said. “I thought Hassan got in there especially late in the game when Malik came out and had a couple of pressure moments there. Getting in game action, it’s a little bit different, speed is a little bit different. But I thought both guys were disruptive, and Timmy in particular did some really nice things.”
No matter how you spin it, the injury is disruptive to the pass rush. The Eagles knew that it wasn’t going to be easy rolling without Michael Bennett (nine sacks) and Chris Long (6.5) this season.
So the Eagles handed Jackson a three-year, $30 million contract after he was released by Jacksonville to make salary-cap room for the addition of quarterback Nick Foles, who fractured a collarbone Sunday.
The Eagles brought the 6-5, 290-pound Jackson in to take some of the doubleteaming off Cox, who led the Eagles with 10.5 sacks last season. Jackson had a pretty good run with the Jaguars until falling out of favor in 2018.
But it didn’t work Sunday. One sack of Keenum operating behind a patchwork offensive line is a borderline disgrace considering the salaries the Eagles pay their key pass rushers.
“The first half, by design, the ball was coming out of Case’s hand pretty quick,” Pederson said. “A lot of playaction, seven and eight-man protection schemes. It kind of stymied the rush a little bit. But I thought the second half we made a conscious effort to really get after him and their offensive linemen. It made the difference in the second half.”
Jackson, who had two tackles, exited the Linc in a walking boot. He said he was unsure how the injury occurred.
“I remember just doing a pass-rush move committed to an inside rush,” Jackson said. “I was on the ground the next minute. I don’t know what I did. I just got up and it hurt more than it did the play before. We’ll see.”
Jernigan is coming off an abbreviated 2018 season due to back surgery.
“I’ve seen the confidence, No. 1, coming back from the injury that he sustained, and then two, he’s just got a lot of energy,” Pederson said. “He’s an excitable guy. He loves playing. Loves playing the D-Line position. He’s just somebody that brings a level of energy and power to the inside. And so now he’s going to get an opportunity here within probably the next few weeks to play a little bit more, and I really would expect nothing less from him.”
The Eagles can move defensive ends Vinny Curry and Brandon Graham inside for pass-rush purposes. But that will weaken the defensive end position moreso. Traditionally the Eagles would rather replace a position rather than move guys around, which would change multiple positions.
The Eagles also need more production out of their edge rushers. Defensive end Derek Barnett contributed three quarterback hurries, but his offside penalty late in the first half shortened a field goal by Dustin Hopkins to 48 yards. The Eagles scratched defensive end Daeshon Hall, who had shown edge-rush ability in the preseason.
They had experimented with several pass rush combinations, including Jackson playing at right end. Pederson says that he got more from Barnett and Graham in the second half.
“I thought we did good,” Jackson said. “They did a lot of max-protection early. It worked for the most part because they were up 17-0 for a while. But towards the end of the game we really opened it up when we started scoring some points.”
What the Eagles really need is an every-down lineman with disruptive qualities. The best one is off the market, the Eagles failing to offer enough assets to land Jadeveon Clowney, who had two tackles (one for loss), one sack and a pass batted down in his debut with the Seahawks after being traded from Houston last week.
*** Right tackle Lane Johnson was asked Sunday when he had a sense that DeSean Jackson would have a big day.
“He had his jewelry on this morning so I figured he was going to have some type of day,” Johnson said. “It’s good to have him back.”
Jackson caught eight passes for 154 yards, hauling in scoring bombs of 51 and 53 yards from Carson Wentz.