Caplan: Avery’s ACL Not Torn

The Eagles again avoided the major injury bug Wednesday when they learned that defensive end Genard Avery’s knee injury won’t need season-ending surgery.

Avery, who went down about 45 minutes into practice during a team drill, underwent an MRI, which determined that he didn’t tear his anterior cruciate ligament, according to Inside the Birds’ Adam Caplan.

On #Eagles DE Gerard Avery, an MRI confirmed that he didn’t suffer an ACL injury. However, it’s unclear how long he’ll be out.

Eagles have a lot of depth at DE, but it’s being tested due to Avery and Derek Barnett’s (ankle) injuries.

— Adam Caplan (@caplannfl) August 26, 2020

As Caplan noted, though, Avery will join Derek Barnett as pass rushers who are sidelined indefinitely. Barnett, a projected starter, has missed most of camp.

The Eagles, who will have their final scrimmage Sunday, are set to wrap up camp after the following week, with the season beginning Sept. 13.

Avery’s and Barnett’s absences will help spread more reps to backup defensive ends Shareef Miller, Joe Ostman, and Casey Toohill. Miller was a fourth-round pick last year who never played during the regular season. Ostman tore his ACL in camp last summer and missed the whole season. Toohill, a seventh-round pick out of Stanford, faces an uphill battle to make the club.

Brandon Graham, Vinny Curry and third-year pro Josh Sweat will probably see the most time on defense to start the season, with Barnett missing almost all of camp. But the Eagles are strong and deep at defensive tackle, even with free-agent addition Javon Hargave sidelined for most of camp by a pectoral strain.

The Eagles have dealt with pushed through several injuries at camp but don’t appear to have anyone who’ll be out for the season or several months.

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