Rodney McLeod Placed on IR After Season-Ending Surgery on Knee Injury

The Philadelphia Eagles placed safety Rodney McLeod on injured reserve Saturday after he suffered a knee injury during Sunday's 20-16 victory over the Indianapolis Colts.

Adam Schefter of ESPN provided the roster update. Derrick Gunn of NBC Sports Philadelphia first reported McLeod had season-ending surgery Thursday on a torn MCL.

The 28-year-old Maryland native registered 10 combined tackles and four passes defended across three appearances this season, and Pro Football Focus graded him as the NFL's 19th-best safety.

McLeod signed a five-year, $35 million contract with the Eagles in March 2016 after spending the first four seasons of his career with the St. Louis Rams. His deal with Philly runs through the 2020 campaign.

He posted a message Friday on Instagram ahead of what he declared will be an "epic" return:

"I would like to thank everyone for their prayers and encouraging words. In this game you never know when your last play might be. A coach once told me 'they're all precious.' I believe this wholeheartedly, which is why I play the way I do. God has guided me up to this point and I know he will never leave my side. With God I can do all things through Christ who strengthens me. Minor setback for a major comeback, the return will be epic. Sending prayers to the rest of my peers around the league."

Corey Graham is set to join the starting lineup in McLeod's absence.

"It really don't change much," Graham told reporters Sunday. "We're going to run our same packages, do the same thing we've been doing. Instead of playing 30 plays a game, I'll play 60. It don't really change too much for me. I'll still be doing the same exact thing, but more."

The reigning champion Eagles are 2-1 and rank eighth in the NFL in total defense through the season's first three weeks.

They'll play their first contest without McLeod on Sunday against the Tennessee Titans.