Hicks Ditches His Walking Boot

PHILADELPHIA (973espn.com) -  Jordan Hicks couldn't wait for his Christmas present.

The Eagles' star middle linebacker is one of a number of high-profile players lost to season-ending injuries in 2017 after tearing his right Achilles' on Oct. 23 against Washington.

Surgery soon followed and on Christmas Day, a little over two months since the injury, Hicks, 25, was scheduled to trash the walking boot on his right foot.

On Saturday, the last day of preparation for the Christmas night game against the Oakland Raiders, Hicks coasted through the locker room without the boot.

"Tell, everybody that," Hicks smiled. "Ahead of schedule."

Hicks is already convinced that he will be able to recover and pick up where he left off as one of the NFL's best young linebackers, partially because he knew what to expect from the rehabilitation process from tearing his left Achilles' in college at the University of Texas.

"I'll be fine," he insisted earlier this month. "I did my left Achilles in college and came back better. I know more, the advancements are better. There's no doubt in my mind I'll be a better player when I come back."

The typical recovery time for an Achilles' tear is six to nine months, the former would be April around draft time and the latter of which would have Hicks at full speed by July, just in time for training camp.

Common sense says the Eagles will be careful with Hicks during offseason work to make sure he's a full go for camp.

The Eagles' final injury report for the Raiders was released and three players, left guard Stefen Wisniewski (ankle), cornerback Jalen Mills (ankle) and linebacker Mychal Kendricks (foot) are listed as questionable.

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