James Bradberry on IR after leg injury. How Eagles replaced him shows his role on team

PHILADELPHIA − James Bradberry, who surprisingly made the Eagles' 53-man roster , didn't make it through one practice before suffering an injury that could keep him out until the second half of the season.

A league source confirmed that Bradberry, 31, suffered a lower leg injury during practice Wednesday, and that he'll be out for six to eight weeks. It said Bradberry's injury involves a tendon, but surgery is not required. The NFL Network first reported the news.

The Eagles placed Bradberry on injured reserve later Tuesday. They replaced him on the 53-man roster by promoting veteran linebacker Oren Burks from the practice squad. Offensive lineman Brett Toth, who was waived Tuesday on roster cutdown day, was signed to the practice squad.

That the Eagles didn't replace Bradberry with a defensive back shows how far down the depth chart he was, and that he likely wasn't going to play much, if at all, this season. Bradberry had converted from cornerback, where he was an All-Pro in 2022, to safety this summer after a dreadful 2023 season.

Even at safety, Bradberry was behind starters CJ Gardner-Johnson and Reed Blankenship, along with Avonte Maddox. Tristin McCollum, a good special teams player, also might have been ahead of Bradberry on the depth chart.

In addition, Sydney Brown is on the physically unable to perform list. While Brown will have to miss at least four games, he was the Eagles' third-round pick in 2023, and should have a role when he's ready to return. In fact, Brown, recovering from a torn ACL suffered last January, could have made Bradberry expendable upon his return.

If the Eagles are in a bind before then, they can use rookie Cooper DeJean at safety. DeJean, who is mostly playing nickel with the Eagles, has played all over the secondary while in college at Iowa.

DeJean is still working his way back after missing the first three weeks of training camp with a hamstring injury. DeJean played in his first preseason game last Saturday and said it was a learning experience. It was DeJean's first real game since last November when he broke his fibula playing at Iowa.

"It was a little different," DeJean said about the speed of the NFL compared to college. "Not having played in so long, you got a little rust. You gotta train your eyes a little bit to where they were before. It’ll come in time. Still learning."

Now, DeJean might be learning some safety, too.

Eagles sign a DT, release another

The Eagles claimed DT Byron Young and released DT Marlon Tuipulotu to make room. Young was a third-round pick of the Raiders in 2023. He played in six games last season and had four tackles ... Tuipulotu was the Eagles' sixth-round pick in 2021. Tuipulotu played in 28 games with three sacks ... As for injuries, TE Dallas Goedert (oblique), Edge Jalyx Hunt (oblique), WR Johnny Wilson (concussion) and CB Isaiah Rodgers (unknown) sat out practice for a second straight day.

Contact Martin Frank at mfrank@delawareonline.com. Follow on X @Mfranknfl.

This article originally appeared on Delaware News Journal: James Bradberry on IR after leg injury. How Eagles replaced him shows his role on team