Eagles inside linebacker Emmanuel Acho was a limited participant in practice Monday as the team started preparing for its major showdown against NFC rival Dallas on Thanksgiving.
It is unclear whether Acho will be able to play Thursday in Dallas. Without Acho, who injured his groin in Sunday’s 43-24 win against the Titans, the Eagles’ top backup at inside linebacker behind starters Mychal Kendricks and Casey Matthews is first-round pick Marcus Smith, who has barely played this season and hasn’t played well in his limited snaps.
But even with an extremely short turnaround before Thursday’s game, Eagles coach Chip Kelly didn’t rule out Acho.
“Don’t write Acho off as dead yet,” he said, adding that the team will see what he can do before making any determinations.
The Eagles have struggled to keep their inside linebackers healthy this year. Travis Long tore his ACL in the preseason finale, and Najee Goode, last year’s top backup inside linebacker, suffered a season-ending pectoral injury in the season opener.
Kendricks missed four starts with a calf injury earlier in the season that necessitated Smith’s move inside from outside linebacker, the position he was drafted 26th overall to play.
DeMeco Ryans, their best inside linebacker and the general of the defense, went down with a season-ending Achilles tear a few weeks ago in Houston.
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Acho sustained his injury while getting beaten by Titans tight end Delanie Walker on a 68-yard pass from Zach Mettenberger.
Tight end Zach Ertz, who sustained an oblique injury, was a full participant in Monday's practice.
Kelly provided no update on Brad Smith, who got the wind knocked out of him. He also didn’t commit to Andrew Gardner as his starting right guard again.