Update: the Eagles announced it's a ruptured Achilles tendon. That will do it for this season.
That was the scene today at the NovaCare Complex, according to various reporters who were on hand for full-team OTAs. The initial fears were one of the defensive back's surgically repaired knees must have been re-injured, though that was at least partially due to his reaction. Jackson was described as "visibly upset" or outright "crying," and removed his jersey as he was leaving in a gesture that may have seemed like he wouldn't wear it again for quite awhile, if ever again.
As it turns out, he apparently only suffered an ankle sprain that will likely be the case. Marlin Jackson was supposedly competing for the job at free safety, but he'll miss the 2010 season with yet another serious injury. The job presumably is rookie Nate Allen's to lose.
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While this obviously is a major setback in Marlin's comeback, I'm not sure how terrible it is for the Birds. Much was made over the possibility he would start when he signed, but nothing about the addition indicated the team was serious with regard to that. He was brought in at a discount, and shortly thereafter the Eagles used a high second round pick at his position. If Jackson was going to start, it was only ever meant to be temporary.
That doesn't mean we should entirely underscore the loss. I liked his versatility in the secondary, having experience at both corner and safety. He theoretically improves their depth, while simultaneously giving coaches the chance to design new wrinkles into coverage schemes that would be based on his flexibility.
At the end of the day though, Jackson already wasn't even a lock to make the team. The defensive backfield is loaded with young players who have plenty of opportunities with openings at right corner and free safety. Can anybody say with any certainty he would have beat out Macho Harris for a position? Quintin Demps? Trevard Lindley? Heck, Dimitri Patterson?
We can only speculate what happens next for Jackson. He obviously won't be a member of the team this season, but there's a chance this is also the one that closes the door on his career.
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I don't see this as any reason to panic though. If the Eagles were really depending on him for 16 games this season—and I simply don't believe they were—nobody would have been satisfied by that solution anyway. Have to feel for the guy a little though. The practice field is no place for a career to end.