Philadelphia Eagles Defensive End Jason Babin Suffers Calf Strain at Training Camp
The first day of Philadelphia Eagles practice featuring full contact drills did not turn out particularly well, as the Eagles lost fourth wide receiver Riley Cooper to a broken collarbone.
The Eagles also suffered a blow on defense as Pro Bowl defensive end Jason Babin suffered a right calf strain, which will cost him about a week, according to head coach Andy Reid. The injury is not an Achilles injury, which is obviously a major relief for an Eagles team that is expecting Babin to duplicate (or comeclose to) his incredible sack total in 2011.
Babin is expected to have an MRI sometime today.
The injury to Babin could be a blessing in disguise, as it will give some other defensive ends, such as rookie Vinny Curry, former first round draft pick Brandon Graham, veteran Darryl Tapp, and former CFL star Phillip Hunt an opportunity to work with the first team defense in practice.
Curry is the only one of the three who is an absolute lock to make the team. Graham is a near certainty, but Hunt and Tapp are competing for a roster spot, and speculation has arisen that the Eagles could trade Tapp before the start of the 2012 season.
Other injuries at Saturday’s training camp included defensive tackle Antonio Dixon, who suffered cramps that led to him being carted off the practice field. Dixon hasn’t played since week 4 of the 2011 season, due to a torn triceps. Defensive end Trent Cole also suffered from heat exhaustion, and missed about 25 minutes of practice.
This article was written by Bryn Swartz, the top writer for the Philadelphia Eagles and a featured NFL columnist on Rant Sports. Bryn has written more than 1000 articles in less than two years as a member of Rant Sports. His blog, Eagles Central, was named the 2010 Ballhyped Sports Blog of the Year. To read a portfolio of Bryn’s best work, click here.
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