Cooper Fractures Collarbone, Babin Hurt

July 28, 2012 9:35 pm | By: Ryan Messick

Eagles wide receiver Riley Cooper fractured his collarbone during practice today.

BETHLEHEM, Pa. – Eagles wide receiver Riley Cooper left practice with a fractured left collarbone after going to the ground hard while failing to haul in a deep pass from Michael Vick during the Eagles first practice in full pads. Cooper underwent x-rays today and more will be known about the extent of his injury tomorrow.

The injury occurred in one-on-one drills, not during full-contact plays. Cornerback Curtis Marsh was in coverage, and landed on Cooper as the two got tangled up on the way to the ground.

The 6-foot-3, 222 pound receiver is entering his third year with the Eagles. Cooper caught 16 passes for 315 yards and one touchdown last year as the Eagles’ fourth wide receiver.

Minor injuries are also mounting for the Birds, who came into training camp without the services of Mike Patterson (still recovering from brain surgery), Jason Peters (ruptured his Achilles tendon twice in the offseason) and Colt Anderson (recovering from knee surgery).

Defensive end Jason Babin, who led the Eagles with 18 sacks last year, left practice with a right calf strain. The injury does not involve his Achilles tendon, and he’ll have an MRI.

Defensive tackle Antonio Dixon left practice due to cramps, and while defensive end Trent Cole briefly received attention in the medical tent, the Eagles said he was not injured.

Brent Celek, who suffered a mild MCL sprain on Thursday, did not participate in practice. Celek is day-to-day and could miss in the neighborhood of one week.

Dominique Rodgers-Cromartie Stands Out In First Live Action

Dominique Rodgers-Cromartie is taking over for Asante Samuel as the Eagles’ second starting cornerback this year, across from Nnamdi Asomugha. Today he showed some of the skills that made the Birds more than willing to trade Samuel to the Falcons for a mere seventh round pick.

Twice, Rodgers-Cromartie broke on short routes from Michael Vick to DeSean Jackson and arrived just in time to knock the ball away. The 26-year-old also showed his closing speed on a deep route by DeSean Jackson.

The speedy receiver had Rodgers-Cromartie beat, but Mike Kafka put too much air under the throw and Rodgers-Cromartie turned on the jets to close and pick it off. Later, Rodgers-Cromartie did the same to Jeremy Maclin, knocking the ball to the ground.

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Kelce Looks Like ‘World’s Fastest Lumberjack’

Last year, right guard Danny Watkins said that Jason Kelce looked like the “World’s Fastest Hedgehog,” due to his build, speed and beard. This year, Kelce’s beard is seemingly out of control, so Watkins updated his comparison at my request.

“He looks like the World’s Fastest Lumberjack, I don’t even know, I don’t know what you call that,” Watkins said.

Kelce laughed when told of Watkins description and said, “That’s probably an accurate assessment, I don’t know how nimble lumberjack are on their feet.”

Kelce said he won’t cut the beard until the end of the season.

“I’m not cutting it ’til hopefully after February comes around,” Kelce said.

His best friendly shot back at his linemate?

“If he didn’t shave for a year, he’d look the exact same as he does right now, he just doesn’t get facial hair going too well,” Kelce said.

Little did Kelce know, Watkins had pre-empted his response by admitting that his facial hair grows at the rate of an 11-year-old boy.

Ryan Messick covers the Eagles. Follow him on Twitter.

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