Eagles' Peters says he's 50-50 to play vs. Dolphins

JASON PETERS says it's actually his quad that hurts - because of a pinched nerve in his back. But Peters said he felt good Wednesday, as a limited participant in Eagles practice.

Will he play Sunday against visiting Miami? Well, at one point in a discussion with reporters, Peters listed his chances at 50-50, and said it depended on what coaches decide. Later, he said that if "I had to make a decision today, I'd tell coach I'd play. But it's going to be up to him, and how I feel."

So, not a whole lotta clarity there.

But it was good to check in with Peters, whose only contact with reporters since he left the Oct. 25 Carolina game on a cart came after Sunday's game in Dallas, when Peters told Daily News columnist Marcus Hayes he would play this week.

A league source said Peters has been dealing, successfully, with a chronic back problem for some time. Pinched nerves come from disks that are at least slightly herniated. Peters, a seven-time Pro Bowl left tackle, who turns 34 in January, has a degenerative condition, the source said; it's probably fair to infer that Lane Johnson's permanent move to the left might not be all that far away.

"I feel good," Peters said after practice. "I ain't gonna rush it. Possibility for Sunday, but not sure yet.

"I did a bunch of individual (drills Wednesday), I didn't do the team, but I could have - like I said, just taking it slow . . . I moved around good . . . I'll get back out (Thursday)."

Peters said the injury will not linger all season. But the way his condition was described by the league source, that would seem to be a tough guarantee to make.

Peters said he thought Johnson played well in his place, giving up one sack to Greg Hardy, false-starting twice, in playing the left side for the first time since 2012, his senior season at Oklahoma.

"It was tough (sitting out). Especially going back to Dallas - that's where I'm from, and going against Hardy, which I wanted to do. I kind of played through Lane," Peters said.

Peters said he ought to be able to say for sure whether he's good to go by Thursday or Friday.

Certainly, it would help the team for the line to practice in its original configuration this week, if Peters is playing; so far, last week's setup of Johnson at left tackle, Allen Barbre at left guard, Jason Kelce at center, Matt Tobin at right guard and Dennis Kelly at right tackle has prevailed.

Chip Kelly cleared up the Malcolm Jenkins no-practice mystery Wednesday when he announced Jenkins suffered a concussion Sunday night at Dallas, though Jenkins played the entire game. Kelly also said Jenkins should be back Thursday, so presumably he's pretty far along in the NFL concussion protocol.

Kelly said reporters could talk to Jenkins about when and how he was concussed, but Jenkins did not appear in the locker room when it was open to the media. Jenkins was spotted zooming through the NovaCare hall on one of those rolling "hoverboard" thingies that are the latest pro athlete fad, further buttressing Kelly's optimism.

Julian Vandervelde will return to the Eagles' roster Thursday, for the sixth time. The vibe after cut No. 5 a few weeks back seemed to be that the Eagles were ready to move on from the backup center they've been unable to permanently cut ties to, since drafting him in the fifth round in 2011, but current backup center Josh Andrews suffered a concussion in Wednesday's practice, and the team has already decided Andrews can't play this week against Miami.

One of the things you want to have in a game is a backup center. Dave Molk, who finished the preseason ahead of Vandervelde on the depth chart, is on injured reserve. So the Eagles reached yet again for their former preseason national anthem singer and YouTube cooking show host, who also is among the NFL's foremost anime experts.

Waived was linebacker Brad Jones, who was considered a key, versatile reserve only a few weeks back, before he was scratched Sunday night in favor of former No. 1 pick Marcus Smith.

Wideout Nelson Agholor (high ankle) practiced fully and seemed optimistic about playing this week. "I thought today was a good day," Agholor said . . . Running back DeMarco Murray showed up on the injury report with a groin problem, though he also practiced fully . . . Asked whether the Dolphins miss pass rusher Cameron Wake, who suffered a torn Achilles', Chip Kelly indicated that Miami might, but "I don't, to be honest with you. He had seven sacks. He was playing at a really, really high level . . . He was outstanding. He was as good a pass rusher, I think, in the first seven games of the season as there was in the National Football League. I would think they would miss him a little bit."

Blog: ph.ly/Eagletarian