Brandon Graham Likely to Miss Offseason Work
PHILADELPHIA (973espn.com) - Add Super Bowl hero Brandon Graham to a growing list of Eagles players who will likely be missing the team's spring workouts.
Graham, who sealed Super Bowl LII with his strip sack of Tom Brady, recently underwent surgery on his right ankle and is currently in a walking boot, according to ESPN's Tim McManus.
The veteran defensive lineman originally hurt the ankle on Christmas night against Oakland and missed the meaningless regular-season finale against Dallas before returning for the playoffs. Graham, however, was not 100 percent through the postseason and the procedure was designed to promote "faster healing," according to McManus.
There is also the added complication of Graham's potential contract extension, something an NFL source told 973espn.com was close a number of weeks ago before some kind of hangup emerged. Graham is expected to report to the NovaCare Complex next Monday for the start of on-field OTAs, however.
Graham is among a host of Eagles' veterans that won't be doing much in the spring as they rehab from injuries, a list headlined by star quarterback Carson Wentz.
EAGLES ADD SPECIAL TEAMS HELP
The Eagles also made a minor roster move Tuesday by agreeing to terms with veteran linebacker LaRoy Reynolds. To make room for Reynolds on the 90-man offseason roster Philadelphia waived safety Dominick Sanders, an undrafted rookie out of Georgia.
Reynolds, 27, is a 6-1, 240-pound player who can provide depth at mike or will LB but is primarily known for his special-teams work. Last season he started the year on injured reserve in Atlanta before returning to play in nine games as a core special-teamer, logging 154 snaps there. In the postseason, the Virginia product recovered two fumbles, including one against Philadelphia in the divisional round.
Reynolds' best season came in the Falcons' NFC Championship year of 2016 when he played in all 16 games (starting three) and accumulated 23 tackles and a FR, while adding another seven stops on special teams.
Originally an undrafted rookie free agent by Jacksonville out of Virginia in 2013, Reynolds spent his first two NFL seasons with the Jaguars before having a cup of coffee in Chicago and then landing with the Falcons.
He joins a crowded LB room in Philadelphia in which Jordan Hicks, recovering from a torn Achilles, and Nigel Bradham are expected to be the three-down options. Although trade rumors persist around Mychal Kendricks, he remains the third LB for the time being and veterans Corey Nelson and Paul Worrilow were also brought in during free agency to help with depth and special teams.
Veteran Kamu Grugier-Hill is the Eagles' top ST coverage guy after Chris Maragos while Joe Walker, Nathan Gerry, and rookie free agent Asantay Brown are also in the mix at the position.
-John McMullen covers the Eagles and the NFL for 973espn.com. You can reach him at jmcmullen44@gmail.com or on Twitter @JFMcMullen
Want more NFL? Check out John's piece on the Matt Patricia mess in Detroit over at GetMoreSports.com.