Jerome McDougle happy to be healthy

BETHLEHEM, Pa. - This is not a position of familiarity for Jerome McDougle.

He is the one the Eagles coaches are excitedly singling out. He is the one feeling sorry for others. He is the one trying to take advantage of some luck.

He is healthy.

"It's kind of weird," McDougle said. "But I feel for those guys because I know how hard it is to go through those things, to bust your butt in the off-season and then to get injured in training camp. I know how it is."

Does he ever. Entering his sixth season with the Eagles, McDougle has missed more games than he's played at defensive end. He suffered from knee and ankle injuries, an irregular heartbeat, fractured ribs and a triceps tear. In 2005, he was shot in the stomach.

Just over a week into camp, though, and McDougle is making quite an impression at a deep position that has suffered from sudden health issues - none to speak of for No. 95.

"He's stepped up," head coach Andy Reid said last week. "He looks strong and fast and quick. I think he's playing very good right now. We want him to maintain that. And, he's going against the [first-team offense]. It's a good gauge of what he's all about right now and it looks like he's doing OK."

With defensive end Victor Abiamiri in doubt following wrist surgery and Chris Clemons going in and out of drills after returning from dehydration, McDougle couldn't have dreamed for a better chance.

But people were saying the same things about the former first-round pick last year - what great shape he was in and what quickness he showed - before McDougle tore the triceps tendon in the first preseason game against Baltimore and missed the entire 2007 season.

That injury, oddly enough, earned McDougle a reprieve. He would have been a long shot to make the team, but the Eagles stashed him on injured reserve, giving him the chance this season to make the team one more time.

"It's just a lot of hard work finally paying off for me," McDougle said.

Since Abiamiri went down, McDougle has played primarily with the second-team defense, meaning he goes against the first-team offense in drills. Enjoying early success against them in camp has boosted his confidence.

"He's back healthy and that's just exciting to see that because he's been through so much," said defensive end Juqua Parker (formerly Thomas). "He's doing pretty well out there."

And that's enough to make McDougle forget the times when he was moving down the depth chart instead of up.

"It's been a blessing," he said. "A lot of guys don't make it to year six."

(philly.com)