One of the stars of Eagles training camp is now dealing with a back injury.
Eagles tight end Tyree Jackson suffered a fractured bone in his back during Tuesday’s practice, and although he won’t be needing surgery, he is expected to miss 8-10 weeks.
Jackson suffered the injury at the end of a touchdown catch when he fell hard directly on his back. Jackson was looked at by trainers and walked off the field.
Jackson was having one of the best camps of any Eagles player on either side of the ball, catching 33 of his 41 targets to go along with four touchdowns. The former college quarterback looked not only like he would be able to make the transition to tight end, but he looked like he might be able to play in Week 1 if needed.
The 8-10 week window puts the Eagles in a tough spot.
Jackson was close to a lock to make the 53-man roster prior to the injury. He won’t be cut, but now the team has to decide if they carry Jackson on the initial 53-man roster. If they do, they could make him inactive each week or place him on injured reserve (then bring him back) while he recovers. If they don’t want to use an initial roster spot on him they could place him on injured reserve right now, but then he would be out for the season.
What the Eagles do will give a strong indication on how close they think he is to being able to contribute. If they place him on injured reserve before final cuts, ending his season, then they obviously didn’t think he would be contributing this season. If they keep him through the initial 53, however, then it seems they have been impressed enough that they expect him to be playing at one point this season.
Another potential fallout from Jackson’s injury? Although the chances seemed small, Jackson’s injury likely further decreases the chances the Eagles trade away Zach Ertz.
You can reach Eliot Shorr-Parks on Twitter at @EliotShorrParks or email him at esp@94wip.com!