He can’t practice, play, or do much of anything except wait. And there’s no telling how long that wait will be.
In Sydney Brown’s situation, it’s easy to feel isolated and discouraged.
After a strong finish last year, Brown tore his ACL in the season finale against the Giants in January and underwent surgery two weeks later.
Since the start of training camp, he’s been on the Physically Unable to Perform (PUP) list. With opening day just 16 days away, it’s likely he’ll stay on PUP when the final cuts happen on Tuesday. This would mean he wouldn’t be eligible to play until Week 5 at the earliest, on October 13th against the Browns.
That would be about 9 ½ months from the day he got injured.
The timing is tough. Brown’s late-season injury in 2023 is now affecting his 2024 season.
Though Brown hasn’t been available to speak since camp started, his teammate Reed Blankenship shared after Tuesday’s practice how the defensive backs are making sure Brown stays mentally engaged during this long recovery.
“We don’t leave any man behind, no doubt,” Blankenship said. “He’s smart, athletic, and always present. Even during breaks, we’re together, communicating. He’ll be fine. He’s someone you don’t have to worry about.
“You saw him making plays last year as a rookie. It’s mentally tough, but he knows he has us, and we’ll support him.”
Despite being unable to practice, Brown is a constant presence at practice.
He’s always there, standing 30 or 40 yards behind the defense with a play sheet, mimicking what he would do if he were on the field.
When the team is in the red zone, he just backs up out of the end zone.
The Eagles don’t provide injury timelines, so it’s unclear when Brown will be medically cleared. Typically, it takes nine to 12 months to recover from a torn ACL, and the Eagles are careful not to rush players back.
Blankenship and C.J. Gardner-Johnson are the starting safeties, but the Eagles lack proven depth behind them. James Bradberry and Avonte Maddox are the primary backups, but Bradberry’s future is uncertain, and Maddox is new to the safety position. Caden Sterns was signed, but he’s still recovering from a knee injury from last year with the Broncos. Tristin McCollum and Andre’ Sam are healthy backups, but Mekhi Garner just went on Injured Reserve with a hamstring injury.
Brown can also play in the slot. Of his 335 snaps as a rookie, more than 40 percent were in the slot, according to Pro Football Focus. However, with Maddox and rookies Quinyon Mitchell and Cooper DeJean, the Eagles are crowded in that position.
But before determining where Brown fits, he needs to get healthy.
“I think he’s doing a great job,” Blankenship said. “He’s getting a lot of mental reps. You see him watching film, going through his motions, and staying engaged in meetings. He’s always ready to answer questions or ask them, just like he’s preparing for practice or a game.
“That’s what you want to see from a guy coming back from injury. He’s putting in the work, even if you don’t see it. He’s here early, doing things on his own. He’ll be ready when his time comes, no doubt about it.”
