Eagles DT Tim Jernigan Expected to Miss Extended Period of Time With Broken Foot
By Karl Rasmussen
The Eagles were without defensive tackle Tim Jernigan during their Sunday night loss to the Atlanta Falcons, and it looks like they'll have to cope without him for a significant period of time.
According to Ian Rapoport, Jernigan has suffered a broken foot and could be out for a month or more.
Another defensive tackle injury for the #Eagles. First Malik Jackson, now DT Tim Jernigan. I’m told Jernigan could be out about roughly a month. https://t.co/kQoqPb1Q5U
— Ian Rapoport (@RapSheet) September 16, 2019
In Jernigan's stead, Hassan Ridgeway took over on the defensive line, though he wasn't very effective, jumping offsides to give the Falcons a free first down and failing to record a tackle.
This is a tough blow for the Birds, especially considering Jernigan himself was acting as a replacement to the injured Malik Jackson, who was placed on injured reserve.
Per source, Tim Jernigan's broken foot does not require surgery. Current time frame is 4-6 weeks.
— ProFootballTalk (@ProFootballTalk) September 16, 2019
ProFootballTalk's initial report suggest the injury could actually prove to be season-ending, but they since walked back that suggestion. In the meantime, recently-signed defensive tackle Akeem Spence, as well as Ridgeway, will be forced to take on far heftier loads than anticipated.
In 2018, Jernigan was also shelved for 13 games after undergoing surgery to alleviate a herniated disc in his back. His last meaningful season of work came in 2017 when he started 15 games, drawing 2.5 sacks, 29 tackles (nine for loss), and eight QB hits.