Good news from Mychal Kendricks.
Good enough news that he might play Monday?
That remains to be seen.
Kendricks said Thursday he had his best day of rehab yet and is considering returning to practice on Friday.
Kendricks has not gotten through a game healthy since Week 2, when he injured his hamstring during a game against the Cowboys at the Linc.
He missed the Jets game, tried to play against the Redskins but lasted only 11 snaps, then missed the Saints game.
So by the time the Eagles face the Giants Monday night at the Linc, it will have been more than a month since he got hurt.
Kendricks did not practice Thursday, but he worked on the side with a trainer and said he felt “great” running, both in a straight line and with some cutting.
“I ran really good today,” he said. “I ran really well today. Like today was the day that I opened up and I felt good. I hit like 17½ miles per hour. So that’s like more than what I do during a normal day of practice and that’s like straight line, so that’s pretty good.
“Today I actually considered practicing tomorrow, but we’ll see.”
When healthy, Kendricks is an active, productive inside linebacker. In 45 career games, he has 356 tackles, nine sacks, three interceptions, 16 tackles for loss, four forced fumbles and four fumble recoveries.
The problem has been staying healthy. Kendricks missed four games last year and has already missed three this year, if you include his Washington cameo as a missed game.
Kendricks, a second-round pick back in 2012, said it’s very difficult to tell when you’re healthy enough to play.
“Hamstrings are really weird, man,” he said. “It’s like the Washington game. I felt fine. But once you’re out there and moving full speed? It went again. You’ve got to be really careful because it can feel like you’re ready and you’re really not. …
“You only know after the fact. You know based on whether it held up or not. That’s the unfortunate thing about hamstrings. That’s why you sometimes have guys sitting out a little longer than they probably should or could. Just for that insurance factor.
“Like, ‘OK, you’re probably good, but the only way to tell is if you blow a tire.’”
The Eagles have been using Jordan Hicks and DeMeco Ryans with Kiko Alonso and Kendricks both out indefinitely.
Kendricks wouldn’t rule out playing Monday night, but it sure seems like a long shot.
“Monday? I don’t know,” he said. “Today? Going off today? No. But I’m making huge leaps in my ability to run.”
Kendricks was asked if maybe with the bye coming up, should he just shut down, skip the Giants and Panthers games, and come back for the Cowboys rematch in Dallas on Nov. 8.
He didn’t seem too keen on the idea.
“The inner competitor in me, I want to play as soon as possible,” he said. “I know the time frame and bye week and all, but it’s day to day, dude.”
This is not the season Kendricks was hoping for when he signed a four-year, $29 million contract extension in August with just over $16 million guaranteed.
“It’s frustrating,” he said. “I have certain goals I want to obtain and reach and those have been pushed aside for right now.
“I’m coming along. I’ll find myself on the field again sometime this year. Right now, it’s just day by day and a steady progression is all I can answer.”
And the Giants Monday night?
“Realistically? I don’t know,” he said. “I can’t even answer that question. The competitor in me says yeah. But based on today?”
Then he shrugged.