| Philadelphia WR Riley Cooper pronounced himself healed from a broken collarbone and is ready to help the Eagles in this week's game vs. the Cardinals. (US Presswire) |
The timing couldn’t have been better -- just as the Philadelphia Eagles face the possibility of traveling to Arizona without one of their wide receivers, another is ready to return.
Starter Jeremy Maclin (hip-pointer) didn’t practice on Wednesday and coach Andy Reid said there’s a very real possibility Maclin won’t practice on Thursday or Friday. And that, of course, makes Maclin uncertain for Sunday.
But Riley Cooper said he’s ready to play football again. Cooper, who missed the entire preseason and first two games of the regular season with a broken collarbone, said the injury is healed and he hopes to be active for Sunday’s game against the Cardinals. However, he acknowledged a more reasonable target date would be the following week against the Giants.
“I feel great and that’s all you can ask for,’’ Cooper said. “I’m just waiting for them to give me the OK.’’
If the Eagles don’t give Cooper the answer he hopes for, veteran Jason Avant and rookie Damaris Johnson will take over for Maclin and Mardy Gilyard would be the No. 4 receiver.
Cooper acknowledged that he has to shake off some rust and his injury hasn’t really been tested because he hasn’t been hit in almost two months. But he also said there’s only one way to do that.
“Eventually, you have to go out there and play football,’’ he said. “That’s the next step and I’m ready to take it.”
For more up-to-the-minute news and analysis on the Philadelphia Eagles from blogger Kevin Noonan, follow @CBSEagles.