Linebacker DeMeco Ryans, leader of the Philadelphia Eagles defense and all-around team leader, has been placed on injured reserve. He is done for the season.
Ryans ruptured his Achilles during Sunday’s 31-21 win over the Houston Texans. Since the injury, a number of Eagles players have commented on the poor condition of the field at NRG Stadium, with LeSean McCoy saying it’s the worst on which he’s ever played.
While Ryans was a stout player for the Birds’ D and will be difficult to replace in that respect, it is his leadership that will be irreplaceable. Said safety Malcolm Jenkins,
“You can see the respect that not only the guys on our team have for him but from the other team. It’s a big blow. A lot of people care about DeMeco and it just shows you the type of person he is and the type of impact he has on the room and the team. That’s a big blow.”
Chip Kelly called Ryans the Eagles’ “Mufasa”. Geoff Mosher of CSNPhilly noted on Twitter that the entire Eagles sideline emptied as Ryans was carted off the field from Sunday’s game. Some players noted that they saw tears in the eyes of their teammates after seeing their leader go down. The experience was particularly hard for Connor Barwin, who was there in 2010 when Ryans also suffered a season-ending Achilles injury, on the very same field, when the two were teammates on the Texans.
Casey Matthews will “fill in” for Ryans at middle linebacker, but trying to replace Ryans’ on-field efforts will require every member of the Eagles defense to step up and play harder for their fallen leader. As injuries in the NFL are inevitable, it’s got to be next man up for the Birds as they continue their push to the playoffs. But the downing of this particular man will be a hard reality to overcome.
In a corresponding roster move, safety Chris Prosinski was added to the team, who worked out for the Eagles in October. He was originally a fourth-round pick of the Jaguars in 2011 and was released by Jacksonville on September 23.
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