Eagles’ Alonso out vs. Jets; Kendricks’ status up in air

The Eagles started this season with a three-man inside-linebacker rotation, but it could be down to one this week.

Kiko Alonso is out for at least Sunday’s game against the New York Jets with a knee injury and his status for the season was unknown. Mychal Kendricks is trying to make a quick recovery from a hamstring injury, and defensive coordinator Bill Davis said he has an “outside shot” of playing Sunday.

Both players attended practice Tuesday and watched from the sideline. Neither would comment after practice.

The Eagles signed Najee Goode, who had been with the team during the last two years, to join the inside-linebacker rotation with DeMeco Ryans and Jordan Hicks. Brad Jones will also work more at inside linebacker.

Alonso has a partially torn anterior cruciate ligament in his left knee, according to a league source, but there was no determination on how long he will be out. It is the same ACL he tore last season; he felt tendinitis in the knee during the summer.

“Still in the evaluation process, so we are crossing our fingers and hoping everything turns out for the best,” Davis said. “We are unsure about him.”

If he avoids surgery, he will likely return. If he needs surgery, Alonso’s season would be in jeopardy.

The coaching staff does not know when the injury occurred. Alonso last played on the punt block unit in the second quarter Sunday, but showed no major signs of injury on the play. Despite the tendinitis in August, Davis said there had been no indications of problems with the knee.

“He’s gone out there and practiced very well and he’s running around, even during the game, you cannot see any hitch to his run or anything,” Davis said. “I was shocked. ... He just felt discomfort in there at some point. There was not one glaring play where you said, ‘Oh, there it is.’ Nothing.”

Kendricks’ injury is not believed to be as serious. He hurt his hamstring in pass coverage in the second quarter Sunday, but he is still an option to play this weekend.

“There’s an outside chance we pick him up this week, but it will be hard for him to get back,” Davis said. “But he has a shot at doing it.”

Without Alonso and potentially without Kendricks, more responsibility falls on Ryans. Davis said the Eagles had been keeping Ryans on a “pitch count” while he works his way back from a torn Achilles tendon, but they might need to increase the workload of the 31-year old former Pro Bowler.

“I always prepare myself to play the entire game I’ve never been on that type of pitch count in my career before, so I never understood it,” said Ryans, who played 24 snaps in Week 1 and 60 in Week 2. “I only go into the game mentally, physically prepared to play an entire game.”

In Ryans’ first three years with the team, he averaged 67.9 snaps per game. When asked if he can maintain a heavy workload coming off his injury, he seemed almost insulted.

“Whatever I need to do to go out and play, 70-80 snaps, whatever it is, I’m up for it,” Ryans said.

But it’s not all on Ryans. The Eagles are optimistic about third-round pick Jordan Hicks, who impressed the coaching staff in reserve duty against Dallas. Hicks tied for the team lead with seven tackles and was the solo linebacker in the dime formation, which they will use more if Alonso and Kendricks are absent. He allowed a big passing play, but recovered with a sack, a forced fumble, and a command of the defense.

“It was not too big for him,” Davis said. “I think the neatest thing that happened was when he got beat on the deep pass, which he played poor technique on. He came back and wasn’t fazed and made some plays after that.”

Then there’s Goode, who was added to the roster Tuesday morning. He was squeezed out because of the depth at the position during final cuts on Sept. 5. Coach Chip Kelly said Goode was the last cut. The Eagles were surprised he was still available, and when Goode saw Alonso and Kendricks get injured, he figured the Eagles would call. He canceled workouts elsewhere this week.

“Right now, it’s just plug and play anywhere 1/8after3/8 playing in 2013 and 2014 at both linebacker positions and playing a lot on special teams,” Goode said.

So the Eagles have options, but they’re missing their best options. They hope that Alonso can return this season and Kendricks can return this week. But if not, a position that was once a strength will be tested.

“Our depth was really strong to start with, and now we lose a couple of guys,” Ryans said. “But that’s the good thing about having quality depth. Other guys can step in.”

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