Cedric Thornton: Bennie Logan said he's out a couple weeks

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Bennie Logan hasn’t practiced all week because of a calf injury and it looks like the Eagles will definitely be without him this week and perhaps for the rest of the regular season.

The Eagles will certainly miss their starting nose tackle.

“[Logan] said he’ll be out a couple weeks,” starting defensive end Cedric Thornton said. “Hopefully, we’ll be in the playoffs, go on a run and he’ll come back and give us his outstanding presence.”

On Wednesday, head coach Chip Kelly disputed a CSN report that the team was thinking about shutting Logan down for the remainder of the season, but it appears the team is preparing to start second-year tackle Beau Allen on Saturday night.

If Allen does get the nod, it’ll be the first start of his young NFL career.

“I think Beau’s been doing a really nice job,” Kelly said. “We’ll rotate those guys with him and Ced [Thornton] and Brandon Bair will be active if Bennie can’t go, so we’ll have a six-man rotation on the defensive line.”

The Eagles haven’t played a game without Logan since he took over as the starting nose tackle in the middle of the 2013 season. Logan has started the last 38 games at nose for the Eagles.

So what will the Birds miss without him on Saturday?

“He’s obviously a really productive player,” Allen said. “He’s done good things. He’s played at a really high level. I’ve been lucky to learn a lot from him these last two years.”

The Eagles took Allen in the seventh round of the 2014 draft and he’s played in every game since being drafted, including all 14 games this season. The most snaps he’s had in any game this season (54) came against Washington in the first meeting between the two teams.

On Wednesday, Allen admitted starting will be special.

“I think that’s something you look forward to as a player,” Allen said. “You never know when you’re going to get your first start. You don’t know when it’s going to come. You might not know until game day. I guess you just have to prepare every day like you’re not a backup. I’ve played in every game too these last two years. I don’t see myself as green by any means. You just prepare like you are the guy, so when that time arrives, you’re not surprised by it.”

While the team — specifically the run defense — will miss Logan on Saturday, Allen is looking forward to starting and his teammates are also looking forward to seeing what the second-year player from Wisconsin can do.

Thornton said he’s seen Allen grow a lot since being drafted.

“I have,” Thornton said. “I’ve seen his stance chance, I’ve seen his hands change, I’ve seen his confidence build a lot. I think it’s going to be exciting to watch. I think he’ll do great. And Bair will come off the bench and do some great stuff too.”

Bair has been inactive for nine of the Eagles’ last 10 games since playing 62 combined snaps against the Jets and Redskins earlier this season. For most of the season, he’s been the odd man out of the Eagles’ six-man rotation.

Bair would obviously like to play more, but recognizes the situation with his role in the defense.

“You’ve got to understand, we have such a great group of guys and the guys play so well up front that I gotta put the team in front of myself fin the situation,” he said. “And when I get a chance to come in and participate, I have to make the most of it. Because if I’m called up and I can’t contribute or help, then what’s the point of having me around.”

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