Eagles Hoping Carroll Ready to Compete for Starting Role

Thanksgiving day wasn't so thankful for Eagles cornerback Nolan Carroll during the 2015 season.

Carroll was carted off with a right ankle injury during the Eagles Week 12 loss against the Lions, ending his season.

The 29-year old corner got rolled up in ugly fashion, he was carted off-the-field and had to have surgery to repair his broken fibula.

After being carted off the field that November day, Carroll wouldn't be cleared until early June, missing all of OTAs - which is why when he had to leave the field last week during practice questions were asked.

"You know what, all it is, basically, is it’s his first time back out there on the football field, so it just got sore," Eagles head coach Doug Pederson said about Carroll on Sunday.

"It's not an ankle sprain [or] an injury, it just got sore over the length of the practice yesterday, and it's just something that we'll have to monitor. As we continue to go with these practices, it'll continue to sort of get in shape and get back to game ready."

At this season's training camp, Carroll is back on the field and practicing with his teammates once again, gearing up for the Tampa Bay Buccaneers on August 11 to open the preseason.  However, one cannot help but wonder if he will be able to make an impact at the start of the season.

"He made good progress through the offseason," Eagles defensive coordinator Jim Schwartz said last week.

"We took it slow with him. Again, sort of falling into our same mantra, our game, we don't open until September, so we didn't need to rush him. He's a veteran player. He was excellent in the meetings. He was a good mentor for the younger guys. They are always picking his brain. He's a smart player."

While it's been a long road back to the football field, Pederson said they will continue to watch and make sure he is ready for the season opener on Sept. 11 against the Browns.

"We'll monitor it more than hold him back, if that answers your question," Pederson explained. "You know, he's one that doesn't want to come out, obviously, but at the same time, we've got to make sure that he is healthy when he's on the field."

Carroll is back to work with the Eagles, and is looking to make the most of his training camp this year - he is in a battle with Ron Brooks and Eric Rowe to start opposite Leodis McKelvin.