The Eagles held wide receiver Jeremy Maclin out of team drills for the third time in the last four practices on Tuesday, which raises some questions about the state of his knee after last year’s torn ACL.
Maclin said that he’s experiencing soreness in his legs, but thinks it is just part of the process of moving from rehab to a more expansive practice schedule. He also said that he remains on track to play against the Bears in the team’s preseason opener on Friday.
“It’s just protocol, I guess,” Maclin said, via PhillyMag.com. “I haven’t missed a day since I’ve been out here. It’s just communication between me, my coaches and the training staff. I could’ve gone if really, really need be, I would’t have felt like myself, that’s all.”
Riley Cooper also missed team drills with his foot still in a walking boot, leaving rookie Jordan Matthews to get more work with the first team. As long as the veterans are healthy when the regular season comes, that extra work should wind up helping Matthews jump right into a complementary role this season. Should Maclin and/or Cooper experience longer-lasting problems, however, the Eagles will have to rely on Matthews more than is ideal for a first-year player.