Jalen Reagor had never experienced injuries through his high school football career, nor his time at TCU. But he's missed the last five games with a left thumb injury, which followed a shoulder injury suffered in Training Camp. Reagor believes, no, he knows, that now that he's on the road to playing again – hopefully, he thinks, as soon as Sunday night when the Dallas Cowboys come to town – good health will follow.
"It's just a little bit of adversity. A test. I feel like I passed them," he said. "I'm not going to let them get me down, or get me in a funk. It's all about how you respond. It's all about being resilient."
As far as Sunday night, well, it isn't exactly officially official, but Reagor has practiced throughout the week after his 21-day window to work began on Monday. The Eagles can activate him from Injured Reserve at any time during that 21-day window. As of Friday afternoon, Reagor officially remained on IR, but that is subject to change. The Eagles would have to activate Reagor by 4 PM on Saturday for him to be eligible to play against the Cowboys. The Eagles have four open roster spots available with defensive end Genard Avery, linebacker Nathan Gerry, wide receiver DeSean Jackson, and defensive tackle Hassan Ridgeway going on Injured Reserve this week.
"I'm very excited to see my status of, you know, playing Sunday and where I can go forward from here," he said.
Reagor had five receptions for 96 yards, including a 55-yard gain against Washington in the opener, on eight targets in two weeks before suffering a torn ligament in his left thumb that required surgery. In the weeks that followed, Reagor attended practice and team meetings and position meetings every day. He took mental reps.
All of that, he thinks, will pay dividends when he's on the field.
"I was doing a lot of rehab, a lot of conditioning, just staying in shape," he said. "Just focusing on the small things, the details, the things I wasn't able to do with my hand. Honing in on the small things, being able to see things from a different angle and applying it now, when I'm able to get back."
