The Eagles gained a defensive tackle this week when they traded for Tim Jernigan.
Unfortunately, they might have lost one too.
Rotational defensive lineman Beau Allen suffered a chest/pectoral injury, that's expected to need surgery, while working out Thursday, according to the Philadelphia Inquirer's Zach Berman.
This is bad news for the Eagles and for the 25-year-old Allen, who is entering the final year of his four-year rookie contract. The Eagles had already begun work toward extending Allen earlier this offseason.
While it was unlikely Allen was going to be the starter after the team traded for Jernigan, defensive coordinator Jim Schwartz likes to use a rotation along his defensive line. Allen played 28 percent of the Eagles' defensive snaps last year and even started three games for an injured Bennie Logan.
"Obviously with free agency and Bennie (Logan) not being here, yeah it gives [Allen] an opportunity to step in there and really show what he can do, if he can be the guy and compete and handle that load,” head coach Doug Pederson said in Arizona at the owners meetings earlier this month, before the Eagles acquired Jernigan.
The Eagles originally drafted Allen in the seventh round out of Wisconsin in 2014. The 6-foot-3, 327-pound lineman proved he was capable of playing DT in a 4-3 after playing his first two years in the league as the team's backup nose tackle in a 3-4.
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If Allen is unable to play this season -- even if just for part of it -- that means Destiny Vaeao is would be the Eagles' top backup defensive tackle. Vaeao was undrafted last year and played minimally throughout the season. The Eagles also have Aziz Shittu and Justin Hamilton, who is with the team after signing a futures deal in January. Former defensive tackle Taylor Hart is now an offensive tackle.