Tuesday, March 22, 2011
Posted: 3:54 p.m.
By Reuben FrankCSNPhilly.com
Defensive end Brandon Graham, the Eagles first-round pick in 2010, wont be ready to play by opening day after suffering a torn anterior cruciate ligament late last season, head coach Andy Reid told The Philadelphia Inquirer Tuesday at the NFL owners meetings in New Orleans.
Graham, who had three sacks in 13 games as a rookie, suffered the injury during the Eagles Dec. 13 game against the Cowboys and underwent reconstructive surgery a week later.
Reid said it will be a real stretch for Graham to be healthy enough to play when the regular season is scheduled to start on Sept. 11.
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Graham started the first four games of last season before losing his starting job to veteran Juqua Parker. He started two more games late in the season when Parker was out with an injury before getting hurt in Dallas.
The Eagles currently have a bunch of other defensive ends under contract - starters Trent Cole and Parker; backup Darryl Tapp; Daniel Teo-Nesheim, who played sparingly as a rookie; recent CFL acquisition Phillip Hunt; rookie Ricky Sapp, who spent last year on IR; and oft-injured former second-round pick Victor Abiamiri, who may or may not become an unrestricted free agent as he enters his fifth NFL season.
Reid also reiterated that center Jamaal Jackson (torn biceps suffered on opening day) and safety Nate Allen (torn patellar tendon on Dec. 19) should both be 100 percent by opening day.
E-mail Reuben Frank at rfrank@comcastsportsnet.com
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