Makai Lemon was back on the practice field Thursday in pads, but the Eagles rookie still was not a full participant. After missing 2.5 weeks of training camp with a hamstring injury, Lemon returned during the Eagles' second joint practice with the Patriots in Foxboro, Massachusetts, then sat out team drills while remaining limited.
The timing matters because the club is moving toward Week 1, and every practice rep now carries more weight. Lemon had already been sidelined for half of OTA work with the same hamstring issue, so his return offered a cleaner look at where he stands after a stretch that likely cost him two preseason games as well.
Lemon's presence in pads is a step forward for a receiver whose offseason has been interrupted from the start, but it does not yet mean he is ready to take on a full workload. DeVonta Smith was also back in a limited capacity, while Elijah Moore was sidelined after a neck injury on Wednesday, leaving the Eagles' wide receiver group short on healthy bodies as the joint work with the Patriots continued.
That is why Thursday felt more like a checkpoint than a finish line. Lemon is moving in the right direction, but the real question now is whether he can turn a limited return into full team drills before Week 1 arrives.
