Jalen Reagor Trying to Put Anguish Behind Him, Returns to Team drills
PHILADELPHIA – Jalen Reagor was in team drills on Saturday night for Day 4 of training camp.
The second-year Eagles receiver missed the first three days with what was listed as lower body tightness. It was more than that, though.
There was a report from The Philadelphia Inquirer that he had failed his conditioning test and also that the murder of a childhood friend “has weighed heavily on the 22-year-old,” per reporter Jeff McLane.
Head coach Nick Sirianni did not refute any of it when he spoke prior to Saturday evening’s practice.
“We obviously want all our guys out there every single day,” said the coach. “Jalen had to go through some things that I can't even imagine going through that he had to deal with, so I know that mentally, he has to get himself in a spot. So, I'm not concerned. He's been getting himself back ready to go these last couple days.”
While Reagor participated in team drills for the first time, he didn’t make too many splash plays, though he ran what looked to be a very precise route during a one-on-one drill the receivers ran against defensive backs, but couldn’t shake free from Darius Slay, who knocked the ball away before the WR could get his hands on it.
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Nevertheless, it was a positive step in the right direction for last year’s first-round draft pick as he looks to make a big jump from his rookie season to his second year.
“We just believe that in practice so much, that that's where you improve as a player,” said Sirianni. “So, any time a player misses, of course, we’re not going to want that but no concern because he's on track to be ready.”
The expectation is that Reagor will continue to be more involved when the Eagles return to the field on Monday and the pads come on for the first time on Tuesday.
The Eagles will continue to have his back as he works his way through the mental anguish that clearly impacted him.
“Just being there for him,” said Sirianni when asked what he and the team can do to help Reagor. “If we are going to say the very first core value is connecting and then aren't there for players in a time of need, then we're full of it.
“And so it's just being there for him, and you know, having the people in place in the building to help him deal with anything that he's going through. So, you have professionals that do that, right, that can talk to him if need be and then you just have coaches that care for him that are there to talk to him, too.
“I think you see, too, the players, you see that this is a tight-knit group of players, as well. So, there's a lot of guys for him to be able to talk to, again, professionals, coaches, and his teammates.”
Ed Kracz is the publisher of SI.com’s Eagle Maven and co-host of the Eagles Unfiltered Podcast. Check out the latest Eagles news at www.SI.com/NFL/Eagles and please follow him on Twitter: @kracze.
