Darren Sproles is Back on the Practice Field

PHILADELPHIA (973espn.com) - Veteran running back Darren Sproles returned to practice Thursday in advance of Philadelphia's all-important NFC East game against the Washington Redskins on Monday night.

Sproles has missed the previous 10 games with hamstring issues and time is running out for the 35-year-old who has claimed this will be his last NFL season.

“He so wants to be on the field so bad that it would be exciting to get him out there today in a limited capacity,” coach Doug Pederson said before practice began.

And indeed Sproles was on the field at the start of the session open to the media. That happened once before, though, as Sproles returned to practice after the bye week in advance of the Dallas game on Nov. 11 and suffered another hamstring injury that Pederson claimes was not related to the first one.

“Regardless of what happens after the season, he’s such a competitor and a leader of this football team and he wants to be out there really, really bad,” Pederson said.

Along with Sproles, cornerbacks Sidney Jones (hamstring), Rasul Douglas (ankle/knee), and Chandon Sullivan (unknown), center Jason Kelce (elbow) and Nigel Bradham (thumb) were at practice. Bradham was wearing a big club on his hand to protect his broken thumb, which was surgically repaired Monday.

Missing were left tackle Jason Peters (bicep), defensive end Michael Bennett (foot), cornerbacks Jalen Mills (foot) and Avonte Maddox (knee/ankle) as well as middle linebacker Jordan Hicks (calf).

The latter three are not expected to play on Monday night against the Redskins.

"I know it's a long, long list," Pederson said of his MASH unit. "I'll tell you this. Jalen Mills, Maddox, Jordan Hicks, those three are probably the furthest away, even though Mills and Maddox are a little bit closer. I would say Jordan is a little bit further."

-John McMullen covers the Eagles and the NFL for 973espn.com. You can reach him at jmcmullen44@gmail.com or on Twitter @JFMcMullen