PHILADELPHIA - The Eagles will be without starting center Jason Kelce for at least a month.
Head athletic trainer Rick Burkholder explained Monday that Kelce suffered a partially torn anterior cruciate ligament and a fully torn medical collateral ligament in his right knee during Sunday's 24-23 victory over Baltimore.
Kelce, who is considered one of the top young centers in the league, will undergo a diagnostic athroscopic procedure on Tuesday. Burkholder, coach Andy Reid and team orthopedic specialist Dr. Peter DeLuca will then determine his status for the rest of the season.
One option is to let the MCL tear heal over the next four to six weeks, then see if he can play with a partially torn ACL. They may also decide to surgically fix his ACL, which would sideline him for the rest of the season.
"There have been players who have gotten (the ACL) fixed right away and others who have let the MCL heal," Burkholder said. Monday.
Dallas Reynolds, who replaced Kelce against the Ravens, will take over as the starting center, beginning with Sunday's game at Arizona.
Reynolds spent the previous three seasons on the Eagles' practice squad before earning a spot on the 53-man roster this year.
"I've been looking forward to this for a long time," Reynolds said Monday. "I'm excited about the opportunity."
