What is it with the Philadelphia Eagles and receivers? Other than Terrell Owens for a brief stretch, it seems the Eagles are always looking for a legitimate No. 1 receiver. Kevin Curtis stepped up last year for the team and appeared to be able to man that spot this season, but now he will be out for “a significant amount of time” due to sports hernia surgery.
A timetable likely will be determined following the surgery.
Curtis got hurt in last Thursday’s preseason game against the Carolina Panthers. He attempted to practice but hasn’t been able to go full speed since.
“He tried to work through it but wasn’t able to function very well with it during practice, so we decided to go this direction,” coach Andy Reid said, adding that Curtis is expected to return some time this season.
A sports hernia is a weakening of the muscles or tendons in the lower abdominal wall, near the groin. Reid said an MRI revealed a slight tear.
In his first four seasons in the NFL, Curtis was mostly a role player and third receiver for the Rams. But Curtis last year became the first Eagles receiver to go over the 1,000-yard mark since Owens when he registered a career-high 1,110 yards and tied a career-high with six touchdown catches.
Reid said the Eagles will not bring in another wide receiver (yet), and the starters heading into Friday’s preseason game at New England will be rookie DeSean Jackson and either Hank Baskett or Greg Lewis; Lewis and Baskett are likely to battle for Curtis’ spot when the regular season begins. Reggie Brown, the other projected starting receiver, is out with a hamstring injury but should be ready for Week 1 against St. Louis.
Asked whether he has considered signing veteran Joe Horn, who was released Tuesday by Atlanta and has said he wanted to play for the Eagles, Reid said, “Not right now, no.”
Perhaps the Eagles will call the Arizona Cardinals about acquiring unhappy wideout Anquan Boldin, who has demanded a trade. Reid would not comment on that possibility.
Philly needs to do something, because its receivers, even with Curtis, weren’t exactly making defensive coordinators stay up nights.
