Andre Dillard Has Surgery; Anthony Harris Says Goodbye
Labor Day didn't mean things were shut down at the NovaCare Complex in advance of the Eagles' Week 1 game at the Detroit Lions.
The most notable development is that backup left tackle Andre Dillard did undergo surgery as expected to stabilize his broken forearm and the veteran is expected to miss 4 to 6 weeks of action.
At some point this week, Dillard will almost surely be placed on short-term injured reserve which will open up a roster spot, perhaps for practice squad left tackle Le'Raven Clark or potential punt returner Britain Covey.
Philadelphia also has some other potential short-term IR candidates as well in defensive backs Josh Jobe (elbow) and Josiah Scott (hamstring).
Covey also confirmed on Instagram that he is changing uniform numbers.
The undrafted rookie out of Utah was No. 41 throughout the summer and will now wear No. 18, Jalen Reagor's former number. Reagor was shipped to Minnesota last week for a 2023 seventh-round pick and a 2024 conditional fourth-round pick that could deescalate to a fifth-round selection.
Other Eagles uniform numbers:
Grant Calcaterra
Old number: 47.
New number: 81
Reed Blankenship
Old numbers: 46
New number: 32
Two newcomers to the 53-man roster also got their numbers, with RB Trey Sermon wearing No. 34 and QB Ian Book wearing No. 19.
Meanwhile, in a practice squad move, veteran Anthony Harris is out and the Eagles are bringing back cornerback Mac McCain.
Harris, who was released after Philadelphia traded for Chauncey Gardner-Johnson at the cut down to 53, agreed to come back for a veteran slot on the PS.
He began to have second thoughts, a league source told SI Eagles Today, and wanted to make sure he could act quickly if another team was offering a potential 53-man roster spot.
We'll see how things shake out for him in the coming days but it certainly seems like the end in Philadelphia.
"I’d like to say thank you to the Lurie Family, my teammates, the coaches, the entire Eagles organization, the entire fan base and city of Philadelphia for the opportunity to experience what it means to be an Eagle. I am forever grateful," Harris wrote on social media.
McCain was waived in the cut to 53 after he and fellow hyped second-year CBs, Tay Gowan and Kary Vincent, Jr., lost out to Jobe. Gowan has since signed with the Minnesota PS and Vincent is still looking.
Peters, 40, grew up less than three hours from Dallas and will be joining the Cowboys PS at first as he works himself into game shape. The veteran is expected on the 53-man roster sooner rather than later now that the Cowboys are without starting LT Tyron Smith, who suffered an avulsion fracture in his knee.
-John McMullen contributes Eagles coverage for SI.com's Eagles Today and is the NFL Insider for JAKIB Sports. You can listen to John, alongside legendary sports-talker Jody McDonald, every morning from 8-10 on ‘Birds 365,” streaming live on YouTube.com and JAKIBSports.com. You can reach John at jmcmullen44@gmail.com or on Twitter @JFMcMullen
