The Eagles will take the field this Sunday in Miami without their top special teams player in Colt Anderson, who was placed on injured reserve Monday after tearing his ACL at Seattle.
To take his place on the roster, the Eagles signed another safety in former Cincinnati Bengal Tom Nelson. Special teams coordinator Bobby April said on Thursday that Nelson will take over Anderson's special teams duties and expects an immediate contribution out of him.
"I think he's going to have a heck of a game because he's determined, skilled," April said. "Those are pretty good ingredients for a football player."
Nelson has big shoes to fill as Anderson was one of two special teams captains for the playoffs last season, which is an honor voted on by the players. That distinction is even more impressive when you consider that Anderson joined the team midseason after he was signed off the Vikings practice squad. He leads the team this year in special teams production points with 168 (70 more than the next player) and was fifth in the Pro Bowl fan vote among special teams players at last count.
A rookie free agent signing of the Bengals in 2009, Nelson played in 21 games (three starts) from 2009-10. The 5-11, 200-pound Nelson played on special teams for the Bengals as well as in college at Illinois State.
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