Monday was a tough day to swallow for Eagles fans -- news came out that starting middle linebacker Stewart Bradley was lost for the season and No. 1 pick Jeremy Maclin remained unsigned.
The big talk was about the Eagles losing the anchor of their new-feel defense. Bradley blow out his anterior cruciate ligament at Flight Night Sunday and will likely be lost for the season, reported 610 WIP’s Howard Eskin.
The Eagles stayed mum on the subject throughout most of Monday afternoon. Head Coach Andy Reid confirmed nothing at his afternoon pres conference and he expressed his anger that some members of the media were directly asking Bradley about the injury.
Bradley's agent Eric Metz told Philly.com's Les Bowen that his client was done for the season, according to the Bleeding Green Nation.
Bradley was supposed to pick up the torch of leadership in the absence of Brian Dawkins -- now there is a void.
The Birds will also need to find someone to replace the 151 tackles Bradley made last season -- his first-year as a full-time player.
Inexperienced linebacker Joe Mays or displaced veteran Omar Gaither will battle to fill Bradley’s spot in the middle, said Delaware Online’s Geoff Mosher. But the Birds could still look at bringing in another body.
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At practice Monday afternoon Mays took reps with the first time as Gaither came in on nickel packages, according to NBC Philadelphia's John Clark.
Despite Bradley’s injury many players enjoyed the first-annual Flight Night.
The nearly 32,000 fans in the Linc Sunday night made an impression on new Eagles fullback Leonard Weaver.
"I had a blast coming out of the tunnel," Weaver told the Reading Eagle’s Steve Patton. "There's nothing like coming out and hearing 27,000 people screaming for you. It's just a great feeling that their support is the way it is."
The event also managed to raise more than $1 million for the Eagles Youth Partnership, according to the team.
But back to actual football. The talk was that first-round pick Jeremy Maclin remained unsigned and away from Lehigh Monday afternoon.
The wideout could be closer than ever to signing considering that the player picked directly in front of him in the draft, Randy Ayers, just signed with Denver. That deal being inked could mean a quick resolution to Maclin’s contract dispute, a source told Philly.com’s Les Bowen.
But Maclin still wasn’t at camp for Monday’s afternoon practice.
One guy who would like to be in Lehigh is former Eagles tackle “Big” Jon Runyan.
The 6-foot-7 big man is recovering from knee surgery and is currently unsigned. But he told 610 WIP’s morning team that he wouldn’t mind flying with the green and silver once again, according to Philly.com’s Sheil Kapadia.
"I mean, they are. I would love to stay here. It'd be great, make my life a lot easier, but I'm not gonna say that's the only option because there are other options out there. Ultimately, it comes down to making some money and you gotta do what you gotta do," Runyan said.
The long-time Eagles veteran could just be keeping his options open. But if the Birds continue to have trouble getting Big Jon’s replacement, Shawn Andrews, onto the field than they might actually jump at adding a “healthy” Runyan.
For now we all just wait for the seemingly unavoidable official announcement that Bradley is lost for the season.
