Eagles linebacker Kiko Alonso returned to practice Tuesday, exactly two weeks after suffering a concussion during an open practice at the Linc.
Alonso was cleared through the NFL’s mandatory concussion recovery protocol, which includes several layers of increasingly challenging physical and neurological tests and an exam by a league-approved neurologist.
Alonso, who the Eagles acquired in the trade that sent 2014 NFL rushing leader LeSean McCoy to the Bills, missed nine practices. He was hurt during the Eagles’ third practice of training camp.
Head coach Chip Kelly said before practice that the Eagles will bring Alonso back slowly after his two-week layoff.
“I think mentally, he’s good, but he has been out for two weeks, so he’ll go through agilities and individual drills today and maybe just a little 7-on-7,” Kelly said.
“I don’t know if they’ll put him in team. But he should be good to go by the end of the week.”
No word yet on whether Alonso will play against the Ravens in the second preseason game, scheduled for Saturday evening at the Linc.
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The Eagles faced the Colts in the preseason opener Sunday without any of their three rotating inside linebackers — Alonso, DeMeco Ryans and Mychal Kendricks. The team was off on Monday.
Kendricks was at practice on Tuesday, and Kelly said Ryans will be back on Wednesday, when the Eagles open joint practices with the Ravens at the NovaCare Complex.
Ryans didn’t practice last week on Thursday or Friday, so he will return Tuesday after a five-day layoff. Kelly hasn’t said whether Ryans is hurt or simply getting rest while rehabbing his second torn Achilles tendon in six years.
Safety Jerome Couplin also returned to practice Tuesday, as expected. Couplin underwent an emergency appendectomy two weeks ago Tuesday.
Another safety, oft-injured Earl Wolff, sat out practice Tuesday as he continues to struggle with lingering knee discomfort. Wolff, who didn’t play on Sunday, underwent knee surgery last year. Knee injuries have limited him to only 18 games in his two NFL seasons.
“He says he can’t run with his knee,” Kelly said.
Not a good sign for Wolff.
Kelly said Ryans, Wolff and tight end Zach Ertz were the only active players who weren’t scheduled to practice Tuesday. Ertz underwent lower-body surgery last week and is expected to miss about a month.
