Mounting injuries have been a concern for the Eagles coaching staff over the week-long stretch of full-padded practices and "live" hitting which concluded today. Head coach Doug Pederson made clear that while the team may not go "live" again until next year, the team will still be popping pads throughout the regular season.
"The padded days are not over," Pederson said. "The live tackling drills will probably be over, but we’ll continue to practice in pads throughout training camp and into the regular season."
Seven Eagles missed practice on Monday, including starters Jordan Matthews (knee), Jason Peters (quad) and Malcolm Jenkins (hamstring). While Pederson has stated that he won’t shy away from contact in camp, he also wants to see his full complement of starters on the field when the most meaningful games begin.
"I’ve got to look at the overall health of the football team," Pederson said. "It’s not about getting somebody hurt but it’s protecting the guys that are out here. They’ve been doing an excellent job, these last six days have been tough, and I wanted it to be tough on them. By no means are we where we want to be as a football team but at the same time I think we’ve made some big strides in the last week."
Carson Wentz has seen noticeably fewer reps over the past three days. On Monday, Pederson detailed his expectations for Wentz’s first preseason game as an Eagle.
"He’s been exposed to all the situations in practice," Pederson said. "It’s just now execution. I want to see the timing, the accuracy, the decision-making with him. I want to see him being able to move our offense, especially with him coming out of the locker room, and starting fast. I want to see him lead the football team, especially in his first game."
With the matchup against Tampa Bay just three days away, Pederson officially ruled out Jordan Matthews as he recovers from a knee sprain. The head coach hopes that Matthews will be able to return by the time the starters see heavy action in the third preseason game.
"Peters and Jenkins are day-to-day," Pederson said. "Jordan Matthews is still a couple of weeks away from being back. We want to make sure, with that knee, he’s completely healthy."
You can watch Pederson’s press conference below.
Patrick Del Gaone is a staff writer for Sports Talk Philly. Follow him on Twitter @Del_Gaone.
