The Eagles’ offense got a huge boost Sunday when Nelson Agholor and Corey Clement returned to practice after lengthy injury absences.
Just 11 days before the season opener, the Eagles got back two key components of their projected offense — a starting wide receiver and last year’s Super Bowl surprise, a play-making third-down running back.
That’s extremely good news for an offense that has looked very sluggish throughout the preseason.
Agholor and Clement aren't expected to play in the preseason finale, but their return now is the strongest sign yet that the Eagles will have both weapons available for the regular-season opener Sept. 6 against the Falcons.
Agholor has been out for several weeks with what head coach Doug Pederson has described as a lower-body injury and hasn’t played in any of the Eagles' three preseason games.
Sunday’s practice was his first since Aug. 6.
Agholor, a fourth-year wide receiver, caught 62 passes for 768 yards and eight TDs last year in the regular season and then was 15 for 167 in the playoffs.
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Clement, also with a lower-body injury, hadn’t practiced since getting hurt in the preseason opener against the Steelers on Aug. 9.
He ran for 321 yards with a 4.3 average last year and caught 10 passes during the regular season but had a 100-yard receiving game with a touchdown in the Super Bowl.
Also returning Sunday were running back Donnel Pumphrey and wide receiver Markus Wheaton, who were both sidelined for extended stretches with hamstring injuries.
Pumphrey and Wheaton are both extreme roster long shots at this point but presumably barring setbacks will play in the preseason finale against the Jets on Thursday night at the Linc in last-ditch efforts to get someone’s attention.
Running back Jay Ajayi, tight end Richard Rodgers and wide receivers Mack Hollins and Bryce Treggs remained sidelined, along with Alshon Jeffery and Chris Maragos, who are on the Physically Unable to Play reserve list, and Tim Jernigan, who is on the Non-Football Injury list.