Eagles Adjust to Intensive COVID Protocols; Alshon Jeffery Fully Participates in Practice

PHILADELPHIA – Alshon Jeffery is on track to make his season debut Sunday against the New York Giants after being listed as a full-go on Wednesday’s practice for the first time this season.

There was a time that bit of news would have elicited jubilation, but that was life BTF – before Travis Fulgham.

There was a slew of limited participants, including right tackle Lane Johnson, running back Miles Sanders, guard Nate Herbig (finger), offensive tackle Jack Driscoll (ankle), defensive tackle Malik Jackson (quad), and left tackle Jason Peters, which wasn’t injury-related, but just for rest.

Defensive tackle Fletcher Cox also did not practice for rest purposes.

Cornerbacks Craig James and Cre’Von LeBlanc joined Jeffery as full participants and left guard Isaac Seumalo, who doesn’t have to be listed on the injury report because he is still on IR, practiced in some form.

Practice was held indoors with rain moving through the region, and that wasn’t the only thing that was different about Wednesday’s session.

Due to the positive COVID-19 test of one of the team’s coaches, the Eagles are in the NFL’s intensive protocol environment.

They wore Oakley face guards, weren’t allowed to huddle, and each player had their individual I-pad to review plays, rather than doing so as a group.

“Coach Pederson said on one of the first couple days when we reported for training camp that at some point during the season, we’ll have to be able to adapt to change,” said Cox. “Right now, it’s happening after the bye week. We’re adapting to the change and responding to it. I know this team right here we all do a good job, we’ll protect ourselves and be ready to go.

“I know this team always responds really good when it comes to quick changes, like wearing the Oakley face shield in practice. They asked us to do it and everybody did it in practice. That’s all you can ask, everybody do their job, adapting to it, responding to it, and that’s what happens when you have a great locker room.”

Safety Jalen Mills said the Eagles acted quickly after the positive test was confirmed, sending out a blast text message saying that a team meeting was coming up to discuss something urgent.

“They hopped right on top of it,” said Mills. “It definitely made me feel personally a lot more comfortable knowing they hopped right on top of it.”

Some other COVID-mandated changes including no arriving at the facility until about 10:30 after morning meetings have been held virtually. Then there is about a 60- to 90-minute window to get to the building and get tested and players are only allowed in the locker room for 15 minutes.

“I think the most difficult thing is the time management now,” said Mills. “Us football players, we want to sit in the locker room and chill, talk before a meeting. Or practice or whatever it may be. The biggest thing is staying to the protocols and knowing the times.

“So, I’m in the locker room (Wednesday), I was getting ready to lift weights, and Slay walked in, ‘We only got five more minutes before we have to leave.’ It’s tedious, but we gotta follow it.”

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