Will TE Zach Ertz Be Available Monday Night Against Atlanta?
By Kevin McGuire
Despite having surgery in August, Eagles tight end Zach Ertz has not ruled out the possibility of playing on Monday night down in Atlanta. If he does play, he should not be counted on for being 100 percent good to go, but if he is healthy enough to contribute in any role, that would be a great positive for the Eagles offense.
“I don’t want to miss any games. I worked so hard all offseason to be ready for the games and make an impact for this team,” Ertz said this week, via PhiladelphiaEagles.com. “When the games come around, I know that if I have an opportunity to play, I’m going to play. Obviously, we have to be smart for it because it’s the first game of a long season, and hopefully a long playoff run as well. At the end of the day, we’re going to be smart.”
Sam Bradford eager to get started with Eagles
Chip Kelly is either going to look like a genius by adding Sam Bradford to the roster, or like a coach going out on a limb only to have it break beneath him. Whatever the case, Bradford is looking forward to getting back on the field in a meaningful game to prove he is ready for the workload.
“Who wouldn’t be excited? Especially, I don’t even know how long, a year, a year and seven months, I mean, nine months since I’ve played a regular season. I don’t even know how long it’s been but opening day is always exciting and when you haven’t played in so long, I’m that much more excited to get out there and play.”
Given the way Bradford’s brief preseason appearances went, the hype is real. Now it is time to prove that was legitimate.
DeMeco Ryans ready to return field
Bradford is certainly not the only Eagles player ready to get back in the swing of things with an injury history behind him. Linebacker DeMeco Ryans will play his first regular season game since last November, when an Achilles tendon tear ended his season in Houston.
“I’m really pumped for this game and especially for me because this is a game that is as close as I’ll get to my hometown this year, and I’ll have a lot of family and friends who will come out to the game on Monday night. It’s going to mean a lot to me,” Ryans said on Wednesday as he walked back into the locker room at the NovaCare Complex. “It’s something that is special. It’s truly special.”
The veteran linebacker can have a solid impact on the field, and that will be needed this season, including the season opener against Matt Ryan and the Falcons offense.
Kevin McGuire is a Philadelphia area sports writer covering the Philadelphia Eagles and college football. McGuire is a member of the FWAA and National Football Foundation. Follow McGuire on Twitter @KevinOnCFB. His work can be found on Examiner.com.
