Friday’s news regarding Eagles left tackle Jason Peters reveals how quickly and dramatically a team’s fortunes can change, even before the start of offseason workouts.
Peters has a ruptured Achilles’ tendon, and coach Andy Reid addressed the situation via a statement released to the media.
“As we announced earlier, Jason Peters has sustained a ruptured Achilles’ tendon,” Reid said. “He had been working out in his hometown in Texas when this occurred. He alerted [head athletic trainer] Rick [Burkholder] and they quickly put together a plan of attack for his evaluation, surgery and subsequent rehabilitation.
“We all know how much Jason loves to play the game and how much he was looking forward to the start of the 2012 season. Jason is one of the best, if not the best, offensive tackles in the NFL. We don’t know when he will return to the field and we will not speculate on a timeline. We are just going to let the surgical process and the rehabilitation process play itself out.”
Surgery is set for Tuesday, April 3. If Peters cannot pass a physical before the final roster cuts in September, he’ll be relegated to the “Physically Unable to Perform” list for at least six weeks of the regular season. If unable to pass a physical by Week Nine, he’ll be done for the season.
"[G.M.] Howie [Roseman] and I will sort out the roster situation for the offensive line,” Reid said. “We are glad to have King [Dunlap] back as a part of our offensive line and we will continue to scan the free-agent market, also knowing the draft is less than a month away.”
Left tackles rarely are lingering on the free-agent market, but the Eagles could show interest in former Chargers left tackle Marcus McNeill, who was cut after suffering a neck injury during the 2011 season.