The Philadelphia Eagles will be getting a handful of key players back this week as they get ready to take on the Cleveland Browns.
The team announced on Monday that they have opened the practice window for second-year safety Sydney Brown and rookie wide receiver Ainias Smith.
Brown tore his ACL in the team's season finale last year.
In his first season with the Birds as a rookie, appeared in 14 games (five starts), registering 45 tackles, three passes defended, one forced fumble, and an interception that he returned for a 99-yard touchdown.
While he will be at practice, the Eagles plan to be patient with his return to in-game action, according to defensive coordinator Vic Fangio.
"Here we are, in October, and his OTAs and training camp are going to have to be squished together fast, which he is ready to do mentally and emotionally," Fangio said. 'But we have to be careful ourselves to not overdo it with him. Overdo it from a physical standpoint and an expectation standpoint."
As for Smith, he landed on injured reserve with an ankle injury just before the start of the season. The Eagles' fifth-round pick struggled this offseason but had some shining moments before the end of the preseason. He wasn't expected to make it through final roster cuts, so how the Eagles plan to move forward with his return remains to be seen.
In addition to Brown and Smith, three key Eagles players are expected to be back this week.
Starting wide receivers A.J. Brown (hamstring) and DeVonta Smith (concussion) should be available along with starting right tackle Lane Johnson (concussion).
