The most unpredictable storyline of Philadelphia Eagles training camp took a stunning turn on Thursday.
According to NFL insider Ian Rapoport, Eagles defensive back James Bradberry is expected to miss up to two months after suffering a lower leg injury during the team’s first practice after roster cut-down day.
Although surgery is not expected, Bradberry’s injury involves a tendon and at least six weeks of recovery time, per Rapoport. That means Bradberry will likely move to injured reserve with a designation to return sometime after the four-week minimum.
The news just adds another layer to what has been a complicated offseason for Bradberry and the Eagles. After a rough 2023 season playing cornerback, the former All-Pro has been managing a transition to safety. He had just made the Eagles’ initial 53-man roster as a backup safety and potential depth piece at corner.
But per the Philadelphia Inquirer's Jeff McLane, the team had been trying to find a trade partner for Bradberry prior to cut-down day. Those efforts would have continued into the season, but a lengthy injury of this nature now makes a trade highly unlikely. Bradberry would need time to return and prove that he’s healthy, and by October, there’s no telling what the Eagles’ situation will be at safety and corner.
For now, the team will have to continue eating Bradberry’s contract — he signed a three-year, $38 million deal with the Eagles following the 2022 season — while hoping to find a solution prior to the NFL’s Nov. 5 trade deadline.
Meanwhile, the team’s depth at safety will be tested behind starters C.J. Gardner-Johnson and Reed Blankenship. The next guys up are training camp star Tristin McCollum and veteran Avonte Maddox, who was a former corner himself that primarily played safety during this year’s training camp.
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