NFL.com‘s Ian Rapoport confirmed that Philadelphia Eagles cornerback Ronald Darby will indeed miss time this season with a dislocated ankle. Currently, the expectation is that Darby will be able to return to game action in four to six weeks. Considering how gruesome the injury was, this was certainly a best-case scenario. Darby underwent an MRI earlier today to check for ligament and tendon damage but the tests came back negative.
#Eagles CB Ronald Darby is out 4-6 weeks with an dislocated ankle, sources say. No major ligament damage. Surprisingly good news.
— Ian Rapoport (@RapSheet) September 11, 2017
Ronald Darby Our 4-6 Weeks
Before the injury, Darby appeared to be exactly what the Eagles were hoping he would be. Washington Redskins quarterback Kirk Cousins completed only two of eight passes before Darby was carted off the field. Darby only made one tackle, but Cousins generally avoided his side of the field as Darby was tight in coverage for the most part.
Afterwards, Cousins found some rhythm. He would finish the game 23 of 40 for passing, with 240 yards, a touchdown to Chris Thompson, and a pick. Jalen Mills intercepted Cousins’ sailing pass in the end zone, ending one of the Redskins only solid drives. Mills, who led the Eagles defense with eight tackles, had his best game of his young career. Patrick Robinson also played better than his preseason performance would have predicted. Both mitigated Darby’s absence.
Safety/cornerback Jaylen Watkins also had a surprisingly decent game. In the past, he had proven to be a liability in coverage. But the switch to inside corner seemed to be for the better. He did give up one long pass, but he also laid down a punishing hit on a Redskins receiver for no gain.
Overall, secondary depth made the sting of Darby’s loss bearable. Mills and Robinson only need to hold down the fort until mid-season. At which time Darby and second-round pick Sidney Jones should both be returning to the secondary.
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