Eagles Confirm Jalen Reagor's Injury, Doug Pederson talks WR group
PHILADELPHIA - The calendar turned to September Tuesday but we still have another week to go before the Eagles and the rest of the NFL have to get definitive when it comes to injuries.
For now, the best you are going to do when it comes to non-season-ending injuries is the nebulous hockey-inspired standard of upper-body and lower-body. Philadelphia coach Doug Pederson did confirm Jalen Reagor's upper-body injury as week-to-week before practice on Tuesday.
The Eagles' first-round pick was injured on Sunday's scrimmage at Lincoln Financial Field when Avonte Maddox broke up a Jalen Hurts pass intended for Reagor, which caromed into the air and into the hands of Will Parks. Reagor was hurt tackling Parks after the INT.
A source told SI's EagleMaven that an MRI ruled out anything terribly serious but Reagor could miss up to four weeks of action which would rule out the season-opener in Washington and make the home-opener against the LA Rams iffy.
Reagor has been very impressive in camp and was on track to be the starting X receiver on the outside opposite DeSean Jackson as well as the No. 1 punt returner.
"I've been really, really impressed with Jalen, his work ethic, picking up our system," said Pederson. "One of the things I guess from our virtual meetings that we've had with him in the off-season to now to training camp, is how well he carried the information over, how well he retained the information, right? Then his competitive drive in practice has showed up. His explosiveness, his speed. He has really good hands.
"Things that were hard to see on his college tape, but we knew as a receiver that he could do. He came in and, gosh, he wants to learn. He's a sponge. He's learning from Alshon (Jeffery), from DeSean, he's learning from Carson (Wentz)."
J.J. Arcega-Whiteside is likely to take over the split end spot while Reagor is out and slot receiver Greg Ward will likely handle the PR duties with Jackson also an option in high-leverage situations.
"I'm very comfortable with J.J.," said Pederson. "He's played. He has some game experience. I think he's worked well with Carson. Carson is understanding him better this year, having worked now more I would say exclusively together."
The coach also seemed to indicate a comfort level with rookie John Hightower.
"Hightower has had a good camp," said Pederson. "The one thing with him right now is just game experience, right? He's a rookie, a first-year player.
"It doesn't seem to be too big for either one (JJAW included) of those players right now. I'm looking forward to both of them competing and helping us as we start the season."
As for Jeffery returning early in the season, Pederson said anything is possible but other sources have said anything before October is unlikely.
-John McMullen contributes Eagles coverage for SI.com's EagleMaven and is the NFL Insider for JAKIB Media. You can listen to John every Monday and Friday on SIRIUSXM, and every Tuesday and Thursday with Eytan Shander on SportsMap Radio. You can reach him at jmcmullen44@gmail.com or on Twitter @JFMcMullen
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