Eagles’ Brandon Brooks out for playoffs; Miles Sanders expected to play vs. Seahawks
The right guard will be out for the remainder of the season with a separated shoulder he suffered during Sunday's win over the Giants.
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Brandon Brooks, the Eagles’ Pro Bowl right guard, will miss the playoffs with a separated right shoulder, an injury he suffered on an extra-point attempt in the second quarter of Sunday’s NFC East-clinching, 34-17 win over the New York Giants.
Brooks will require surgery, coach Doug Pederson said at his Monday press conference.
“Brandon is a big loss,” Pederson said. “He’s an anchor on the offensive line.”
The coach said he was pleased with how second-year reserve Matt Pryor stepped up in Brooks’ place for the remainder of Sunday’s game.
Last season, Brooks tore his Achilles in the Eagles’ playoff loss at New Orleans in January, but made an incredible recovery. One of the NFL’s best offensive linemen, Brooks also has struggled with mental health. He left the Seattle loss last month when his severe anxiety returned.
Pederson also said rookie running back Miles Sanders is day-to-day with an ankle injury that sidelined him for more than half of Sunday’s game and forced Boston Scott to step up. Cornerback Avonte Maddox is also day-to-day with an undisclosed injury, but the coach said he expects both Sanders and Maddox to be ready to play Sunday.
Reserve defensive end Daeshon Hall tore his ACL on the final play, Pederson said, and will be out for the playoffs, too.
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As for players injured before Sunday, Pederson said the team planned to incorporate tight end Zach Ertz (ribs, kidney), right tackle Lane Johnson (ankle), and Jordan Howard — who was activated Sunday after missing six games with a shoulder injury, but played only one snap and didn’t carry the ball — back into practice this week.
The coach wouldn’t confirm the report that Ertz had suffered a lacerated kidney in last week’s win over the Cowboys, but said the staff would “do its due diligence” before putting the veteran back on the field.
He also said wide receiver DeSean Jackson (core) is “getting close." Jackson would be eligible to return from injured reserve next week if the Eagles beat the Seahawks on Sunday.