Eagles’ Agholor in ‘Stalemate’ With Knee Injury
With Alson Jeffery likely done for the season, the Eagles need a boost from the lone veteran wideout available to Carson Wentz these days -- but there wasn't much positive news coming from Nelson Agholor on Wednesday.
Agholor, who has missed two of the past three games with a knee injury believed to have occurred against New England on Nov. 17, revealed that his issue actually cropped up over a month earlier during a loss in Minnesota on Oct. 13. He had been trying to play through the injury, which was aggravated reaching for a potential touchdown late in the game against the Pats.
"That made it worse, more uncomfortable," Agholor said of an awkward diving attempt at a Carson Wentz throw. "I had been trying to keep on going as much as I can."
Agholor missed the Nov. 24 game against Seattle before playing fairly well in Miami the next week and then shutting it down again against the New York Giants on Monday night.
With Jeffery lost to a foot injury on Monday the presence of Agholor is even more important this Sunday against the Washington Redskins but the Southern Cal product admitted his rehab is at a "stalemate" with little time to recover.
"I've been playing on it when it was tough and I think it's just, I'm trying to fix it so I can be the best I can for you guys," Agholor said.
Agholor wouldn't provide a timetable and mentioned the word "stalemate" when discussing the knee and if it has improved from last week. Meanwhile, Doug Pederson admitted Tuesday that things are very iffy when it comes to Agholor and the 3-10 Redskins.
"That one is still up in the air. We just have to continue to work through his injury and where he's at," the coach said. "We have to continue to have conversations with him and see where he is prior to this week."
Agholor is also a pending free agent so he needs to consider his future as well which may include offseason surgery.
“I hope that’s not the case,” said Agholor, who has 39 receptions for 363 yards and three touchdowns this season. “I think the training staff will do everything they can to help me, to make sure that’s not the case, and they’re already doing an amazing job. They helped me get through weeks earlier when it first happened. They were there helping me every day.”
Rookie J.J. Arcega-Whiteside and recent practice squad promotee Greg Ward may be the only healthy options at receiver this week with tight end Josh Perkins able to flex into a receiver role at times.
If Agholor isn't available the Eagles will likely elevate at least one of their three wide receivers on their practice squad -- Robert Davis, Marcus Green and Marken Michel.
In other injury news, right tackle Lane Johnson, who suffered an ugly-looking high ankle sprain against the Giants, popped his head into the locker room during the open period and was using a roll-about. Halapoulivaati Vaitai is likely to start in his place at RT against the Redskins.