The good news: Haason Reddick is confident he’ll be back by opening day.
The bad news: He really doesn't know how much his thumb injury will affect him.
Reddick, who had 16 sacks last year and 3 ½ more in the postseason, suffered a cartilage injury to his right thumb at practice on Aug. 15 and underwent surgery two days later.
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Reddick is back at practice but said Monday he’ll need to adapt to play with some sort of protection on his hand and he isn’t sure how that’s going to go.
“We've been working on some different options,” he said. “See what works best.”
Reddick has never missed a game in six NFL seasons. He’s one of only three edge rushers or off-ball linebackers – along with Demario Davis and Preston Smith – to play every game since the start of the 2017 season.
“I'm not frustrated,” he said. “Over my career … I've been through a lot of situations, you know? I'm just glad that it wasn't something serious and that I'll be able to still go out there at whatever capacity.
Philadelphia Eagles
“So for me, I'm just taking it one day at a time. I ain't down about it, not sad about it. What happened happened. I'm going to adapt, move forward and go out there and still try to put my best ball on tape.”
Reddick made his first Pro Bowl last year in his first season with the Eagles along with Josh Sweat, Brandon Graham and Nolan Smith remains the centerpiece of the NFL’s best group of pass rushers.
He said he didn’t think much of the injury when it happened, and he didn’t even leave practice.
“It wasn't bad,” he said. “That's why I was able to finish practice. We just went to go get it looked at because of the swelling that was around it. That's when we figured, like, ‘Hey, better to go get surgery now and make it stable for the season.’
“We had enough time to get it done, that way I could get back for Week 1. So the progression has been going really well.”
For pass rushers, being able to generate power with your hands as you battle offensive tackles is crucial.
“For me, everything is about using my hands,” he said. “That's why we're looking for the best option to make sure that I'm able to go out there and adapt to what happened and go out there and be able to perform at my best.”
Reddick missed the first six days of training camp with a groin injury. He returned on Aug. 6 and then suffered the thumb injury just nine days later.
The Eagles open the regular season a week from Sunday in Foxboro against the Patriots and then face the Vikings at the Linc four days later.
Also part of the equation is Smith’s shoulder injury. He hasn’t practiced since getting hurt in the second preseason game, 11 days ago in Baltimore. His status is unclear, so it's possible the Eagles will begin the season with two of their key edge rushers at less than 100 percent.
Reddick sounds confident, although a little unsure what it’ll look like when he returns to the field.
“I feel good,” he said. “I'm in shape physically. I've been running around since I came back from the surgery. I do feel like I'm in shape physically, conditioned. You know, it's just going to be about adapting now.
“It’s not that big of an issue to me. It's a thumb, you know? Wrap it up, get back out there, go play ball.”
He said he’s been talking to Landon Dickerson and A.J. Brown, who’ve both been through similar injuries, and their experience has him encouraged.
But it is different for an edge rusher.
“Before I had the injury, I didn't know it was this common,” he said. “I heard a bunch of good things, so I'm still hopeful, still excited.
“Hoping that it's not that big of a deal, but whatever happens, I've been adjusting my whole career. I'll adjust to this, I’ll adapt to this and I’ll find a way.”
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