If the reigning Super Bowl champions have a weakness this season, it's at the second level of Jim Schwartz's defense.
Eagles linebacker Nigel Bradham has been suspended for the first game of the season for violating the NFL's personal conduct policy, the team announced Friday. The discipline stems from a July 2016 incident in which Bradham was arrested by Miami Beach police on suspicion of battery/aggravated assault, a source informed of the situation told NFL Network's Tom Pelissero.
Bradham completed the deferred prosecution program in January, per Miami-Dade County Court records. The case was closed days later.
"We have been in contact with Nigel and the NFL regarding his suspension," the Eagles said in a statement. "We respect the league's decision on this matter and we are disappointed that Nigel put himself in this position. Nigel has taken responsibility and expressed to us through his words and actions that he has learned from his mistake. We will continue to be supportive of him throughout this process."
The suspension news comes three months after Bradham signed a five-year, $40 million contract to stay in Philadelphia.
While the Eagles will welcome their best linebacker back after missing just one game, depth remains an issue with Paul Worrilow sidelined by a springtime ACL injury, Jordan Hicks recovering from a torn Achilles and Mychal Kendricksno longer in the picture.
Schwartz will to lean on the likes of former Broncos backup Corey Nelson, special teamer Kamu Grugier-Hill, 2016 seventh-round pick Joe Walker and 2017 fifth-round pick Nate Gerry when the NFL season kicks off with an Eagles-Falcons showdown.
