Eagles Injury Update: Ertz (rib), McKelvin (hamstring) will not practice

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When the Eagles hit the practice field on Thursday morning, they’ll be without starting tight end Zach Ertz and starting corner Leodis McKelvin. 

Both players were injured – Ertz has a displaced first rib and McKelvin has a hamstring strain – in the 29-10 win over the Browns in Week 1 and are still considered “week to week,” according to head coach Doug Pederson. 

As of Thursday, the Eagles haven’t yet ruled either out for Monday's game against the Bears. 

“Still hoping for the best with both of them,” Pederson said. “We haven’t ruled on any of them yet. We’ll see when we get to Monday.”

But it seems very likely at least Ertz won’t be able to play against the Bears on Monday Night Football. Pederson said Ertz’s rib is displaced seven millimeters and it needs to heal on its own. Until it does, the team “just can’t risk putting him back out there right now, any kind of contact on that shoulder.” 

The good news for the Eagles is that tight end Trey Burton (calf), who missed the opener, will practice on Thursday and is expected to be ready for Monday. So at least the team will have Burton and veteran Brent Celek ready to go. 

With McKelvin out of practice, the Eagles have just three healthy cornerbacks on the active roster and C.J. Smith on the practice squad. While it seems like signing Smith to the active roster would be an obvious choice, Pederson said Thursday morning that there was no roster move yet. 

In a game, if McKelvin is out, Pederson said a combination of Ron Brooks and rookie Jalen Mills would fill in. Pederson said he’d be comfortable if Mills, a seventh-round pick, needed to play. 

As of Thursday morning, Pederson is still expecting Lane Johnson to be the team’s starting right tackle. Johnson is still awaiting the results of his B sample from a failed PED test and a 10-game suspension. It’s been weeks without an update. Even if a suspension comes down, Johnson could likely hold it up with an appeal. 

If/when Johnson finally does get suspended, the team would move left guard Allen Barbre out to right tackle and replace him with either rookie Isaac Seumalo or veteran Stefen Wisniewski. 

“Again, I haven’t heard anything,” Pederson said, “And until I do, [Johnson is] my right tackle.”

Aside from Ertz and McKelvin, every other Eagle is expected to practice on Thursday. That includes Jon Dorenbos, who finished third on America's Got Talent on Wednesday night (see story), and receiver Bryce Treggs, who is getting over a knee injury he suffered while still with the 49ers. 

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