Eagles LB Kiko Alonso’s ACL Intact, Likely Out A Month

Update:

Ian Rapoport of NFL Media reports that a second opinion on Eagles LB Kiko Alonso‘s knee showed that his ACL is intact.

This means that Alonso will play again this season, but he’ll still need to rehab his knee before returning to the field. Rapoport mentions that Alonso is likely to be back in a month.

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Les Bowen of the Philadelphia Daily News reports that Dr. Andrews will perform a scope Eagles LB Kiko Alonso‘s knee to assess his ACL graft from last year.

If Alonso’s previous MRI overestimated the damage to his ACL, he could still play this season.

According to Bowen, as long Alonso’s remaining ligament is “tight” he can play, but if it’s “lax,” Andrews will do a knee reconstruction.

Earlier in the day, Eagles HC Chip Kelly said that Alonso was still in Florida rehabbing with Dr. James Andrews.

“He’s doing some rehab work [in Florida],” Kelly said, via CBS Philly. “I don’t think it’s surgery, I mean he’s coming back on Friday. We’ll see where he is then. He said they’re rehabbing him, it’s what I was told.”

Kelly added that Alonso is not a candidate for season-ending injured reserve and he expects him to return to Philadelphia later this week.

Former NFL physician David Chao previously covered the issues pertaining to Alonso’s knee injury.

• According to Chao, it comes down to whether his knee is stable or not, as partial ACL tears are common to see upon an MRI, but are very rare when orthopedists get a look inside knee.
• Chao adds that once an ACL is stretched or loosened, it does not tighten up, even after it heals. Because of this, partial ACL tears don’t do well in the NFL on a long-term basis.
• In the end, Chao believes the best long-term move for the Eagles and Alonso would be for Kiko to undergo surgery on his knee and ensure that it’s 100 percent.

Alonso, 25, is in the third year of his four-year, $4.300 million rookie contract that included $2.463 million guaranteed. He stands to make base salaries of $745,946 and $941,418 over the final two years of the agreement.

This season, Alonso has appeared in two games and recorded seven tackles, an interception and a pass defense for the Eagles.

We’ll have more regarding Alonso’s knee injury as the news is available.