Ertz unhappy after live drills lead to low hits

There is a reason why many NFL teams avoid full, live tackling in training camp practices. The Eagles got a vivid reminder of that Friday, when tight end Zach Ertz and wide receiver Jordan Matthews had to leave the field after scary-looking low hits from a pair of rookie defensive backs, Blake Countess and Jalen Mills, respectively.

Initially, Eagles coach Doug Pederson, an enthusiastic proponent of tackling in practice, said Ertz was being evaluated for a concussion, Matthews for a left knee injury, but within minutes, word came down that Ertz had been cleared and that Matthews wasn't seriously hurt. Ertz and Matthews are the star performers among a lackluster group of receivers; if either of them were to miss serious time, the offense would be hamstrung.

"We just protect each other, try not to go low if you can," Pederson said. "Football is a contact sport. This is going to happen. It's going to happen. Whether it happens today or it happens Thursday night (in the preseason opener against Tampa Bay), it's part of the game. I'm a big believer that you never shy away from contact. You've got to have contact. It's a contact sport ... If you second-guess, you get beat."

Ertz did not like the hit. His theory was that he was asked to undergo concussion testing because a practice-field "concussion spotter" saw him shake his head at Countess; Ertz said he was indicating disapproval, not trying to regain his senses after slamming into the ground.

"I don't think Jalen and Blake should have gone low. It needs to be addressed, but it is what it is," Ertz said. "It's live football, so if that situation (occurs) in a game, we've got to get ready for it, but obviously, with Jordan and I getting hurt today, you don't want to see that."

Asked what he thinks about tackling in practice, Ertz, 6-5, 250, said: "It is what it is. Honestly, I can't do much about it. I'm a lot bigger than a lot of these DBs. Usually it's their only means to get us down."

Ertz took a similar hit earlier in the week from veteran safety Rodney McLeod.

"I'm not really happy about it, but there's nothing I can do about it," Ertz said.

Ertz suggested that with hitting between teammates, there ought to be "a little give and take," on both ends, with no one trying to hurt anyone.

"Guys gotta be pros. These rookies are coming in, they don't know what the atmosphere's like, the respect that's given in practice."

Ertz suggested that if veteran safety and defensive leader Malcolm Jenkins, currently sidelined with a hamstring problem, were covering him, there wouldn't be any low hits.

Will Ertz have a word with Countess, a 5-10, 184-pound sixth-round pick from Auburn?

"I don't need to talk to him about it," Ertz said. "Heat of the moment, the guy's trying to make the team, all of us are trying to make the team."

Ertz said McLeod told him after the hit earlier in the week that he didn't really mean to go low. Etrtz said he knew where McLeod was on the play and was able to prepare for being upended, which he said was not the case Friday.

"That's really on me," Countess said. "It happened so fast. I was just being aggressive, probably a little too aggressive. You gotta take care of teammates."

Matthews did not comment on his injury, which Pederson said might leave Matthews' knee sore for a few days. Matthews wore a sleeve on his left knee in the hallway afterward.

"Me tackling a guy, it wasn't intentional for me to try to hurt him," Mills said. "Jordan is my teammate ... He helps me, day-in and day-out. As soon as it happened and I saw he didn't get up, I told him it wasn't intentional. He said he knows, it's football. As soon as I finish talking to you guys I'm gonna go check on him."

Meanwhile, two projected starters practiced Friday for the first time in camp. Right guard Brandon Brooks (hamstring) and running back Ryan Mathews (ankle) had limited activity. Brooks said he expects to expand his workload in Saturday's practice.

The starting offensive still isn't together, though, with Jason Peters out from Wednesday's quad injury. Matt Tobin continues to fill in at left tackle.

Backup defensive tackle Mike Martin also left practice with a knee sprain, the Eagles said. Defensive end Marcus Smith, the team's 2014 first-round draft choice, suffered a concussion, the team said.