Jason Peters Injury: Eagles Star Tackle Ruptures Achilles, Requires Surgery

The Philadelphia Eagles have suffered a major hit to their 2012 season months before it's even slated to begin. According to Eagles Insider, left tackle Jason Peters suffered a serious injury while training:

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The #Eagles announced left tackle Jason Peters ruptured his Achilles tendon in his right leg on Tuesday, March 27, while training in Texas.

— Eagles Insider (@EaglesInsider) March 30, 2012"

They later revealed details on the surgery that Peters is facing, although a recovery timetable has not been set:

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Surgery to repair the tendon is scheduled for April 2 in Philadelphia and will be performed by Dr. Steve Raikin of the Rothman Institute.

— Eagles Insider (@EaglesInsider) March 30, 2012"

What It Means for the Eagles

Obviously, the Eagles are going to have to go forward in planning a season without Peters. There is no set timetable yet, but this is not an injury with a quick recovery period. Peters is going to miss a lot of time and the Eagles need to compensate for that. 

A silver lining to this injury is that Peters plays left tackle alongside Michael Vick. Normally the most important role on offense other than the quarterback, the left tackle's job is to protect his quarterback's blindside. However, because Michael Vick is a left-handed quarterback, Peters does not have this responsibility.

Still, this is a setback that will cost Philadelphia if not addressed properly. If they go for a rookie or a lesser free agent to plug the hole at left tackle, teams will bring a lot of pressure on that side of the field. 

What It Means for Peters

Any guess that comes from anyone other than Peters would be purely speculative. Obviously, he's going to miss time, and probably a substantial amount of it. 

Looking beyond the recovery time is a little trickier. No player wants to suffer an injury like this one, but when it happens to a veteran player (Peters just turned 30 years old), the situation becomes more serious. This injury has the potential to hold Peters back for the rest of his career. 

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