Great athletes fight through pain to make big plays in big moments. That was the case for Philadelphia Eagles guard Landon Dickerson, who wasn’t going to let a recent knee injury top him from being prepared for Thursday’s joint practice with the Cleveland Browns. Dickerson was on the sidelines recovering from a recent procedure, but he was there to provide post-practice beers to all of the offensive linemen on the field.
By the time the Eagles and Browns wrapped up practice, the big fellas were in need of a cool down. That’s when, in a display of veteran awareness, Dickerson broke out the beers as he and some of the other linemen chatted over a cold one.
Dickerson, who recently injured his right knee at practice, was wearing a brace while chatting with teammate Lane Johnson and Browns linemen Joel Bitonio and Wyatt Teller.
For now, Dickerson may have to stick to providing post-practice drinks as he rehabs from a meniscus injury. Dickerson underwent a minor procedure to repair the injury, and he isn’t expected to miss significant time with the goal of returning for Week 1.
Prior to Thursday’s practice, Eagles coach Nick Sirianni said he saw Dickerson’s absence as an “opportunity” for other players to get valuable reps in camp.
“I like our depth at the offensive line position,” Sirianni said. “We have a lot of guys we feel good about and we trust. That’s as a whole over there. … This is a good opportunity for guys to work and get in there with different guys. I feel really good about the depth we have on that offensive line.”
Dickerson’s status for the Eagles’ Week 1 game against the Dallas Cowboys is still up in the air. If Philadelphia is without its three-time Pro Bowl guard, the team could shuffle some pieces along the line to get by in the short-term.