Philadelphia Eagles take another hit with Nigel Bradham suspension
The Philadelphia Eagles linebacking core takes another hit as Nigel Bradham receives a one-game suspension from the league.
The Philadelphia Eagles linebacking core has received even more bad news going into the season.
After unceremonious releasing Mychal Kendricks back in June and losing his presumed replacement, Paul Worrilow, later that very same day to an unfortunate ACL injury, the Eagles will now have to play the first game of the 2018 NFL regular season without starting linebacker Nigel Bradham.
In a move that many saw coming, Bradham has officially been suspended for one game by the league for violating their code of conduct policy for a physical altercation all the way back in July of 2016 with a Miami pool hand.
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Now granted, this suspension is for only one game, but it highlights just how weak the team’s linebacking depth is going into the forthcoming season.
With Jordan Hicks still recovering from a Achilles tear he suffered back in October, it’s conceivable that Philly may be forced to play Week 1 without a single incumbent starter from their Super Bowl season, having to instead rely on a motley crew of reserves like Joe Walker, Kamu Grugier-Hill, and Corey Nelson in their Thursday Night Football bout against the Atlanta Falcons on September 6th.
While only time will tell how the team will be able to weather this storm, and if their current core will be able to survive the 2018 season unscathed, at this point, it’s worth wondering why the team hasn’t brought in veteran linebackers to work out prior to the season.
Sure, most of the best free agents have long since been scooped up by other teams, but there are still solid linebackers like Rey Maualuga, Dannell Ellerbe, and Penn State great NaVorro Bowman eagerly waiting for their next opportunity. Could Philadelphia soon find themselves in the market for a past his prime thumper who could still pay dividends as a part-time player? How about signing a third starting-caliber safety like Kenny Vaccaro or Tre Boston and focusing more heavily on developing a big nickel package to run in base situations?
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Though we are still months away from the start of the 2018 NFL season, the Eagles decision to forgo selecting a linebacker in the 2018 NFL draft is looking more and more like an unfortunate emission with each passing week.