Drew Mukuba's unique outlook on an injury that slowed him down

Drew Mukuba's unique outlook on an injury that slowed him down originally appeared on NBC Sports Philadelphia

Eagles rookie safety Drew Mukuba injured his shoulder on Day 3 of training camp and hasn't been back in a full-team drill since.

That's obviously a bummer.

But the second-round pick has been positive as he works his way back.

I wouldn't really look at it as a setback," Mukuba said this week. I feel like everybody's journey is different.

Like I mentioned earlier, this just gives me time to improve my knowledge and improve the mental side of the game to where when I come back on the field, a lot of things are going to be easier for me. I wouldn't say it's a setback. But just also, another time for me to learn in a different way."

Mukuba, 22, missed three full days of training camp and has been limited the last three. While the rest of his teammates were in full pads for Monday's practice, Mukuba was in shorts and shells.

Mukuba said it felt great to get back on the practice field after missing three days, even if it has been in a limited capacity. And while there's no replacing physical reps on the field, Mukuba has tried to make the most of getting a different perspective.

I feel like that's whenever my mental kicks in more, where I'm taking mental reps," he said. Whether I'm watching more film or coming in for extra meetings, those sort of things. I feel like me not being on the field just gave me more time to improve my knowledge of the game and to look at the game from a different point of view."

The shame for Mukuba is that he has probably lost some ground to Sydney Brown in the competition to be the starting safety next to Reed Blankenship. While Cooper DeJean has been playing safety in the base package, he still slides to slot corner in sub packages. So that leaves plenty of reps left for either Brown or Mukuba.

On Day 1 of training camp, the veteran Brown got the first crack at the job. On Day 2, Mukuba was up first and then back to Brown on Day 3. But by Day 4, Mukuba was already sidelined so we couldn't see if it was going to be a true back-and-forth competition.

During his absence, Mukuba has still been asking a ton of questions in meetings.

I feel like he's a really smart guy, physical guy from his college tape," Blankenship said. Just wish he could get back to us. I know physical reps are very important but he's taking all the mental reps. He's still alive in the meetings and stuff, still asking the questions, still asking me questions. He's coming along.

Even though they're young guys, I want them to be smarter and older up here in the mind. You can tell he has some of that and I feel like once he gets back out he'll be fine."

Blankenship said that Mukuba hasn't been a shy rookie. Even back in OTAs, the fun-loving Mukuba has seemed to fit right in and he said it's because the veterans have made him feel so welcome.

I just be trying to bug Reed," Mukuba said. I be asking him a lot of questions, I won't shut up around him because I just want to be a guy who learns more. And kind of pick his brain a little bit more because he's a guy that's been doing this for a while at a very, very high level. I can't shut up around Reed. I feel like I gotta ask him something every second."

Brown and Mukuba have also grown close as they compete for the same job. They sit next to each other in meetings and the rookie often asks questions. Brown is happy to help.

And Mukuba is happy to help Brown too.

It's a competitive room," Mukuba said, but at the end of the day, the guys care about each other at a deeper level to where it don't matter who run out there first, they just want to see the next guy succeed. In my time here, this short amount of time, I've seen that a lot.

There's not no selfish guy in the room. Everybody is just trying to help everybody. Everybody's journey is different but we all got one goal at the end of the day."

Before the injury, not only was Mukuba getting reps at safety, but he was also getting out there with the first-team defense in the dime package as the sixth defensive back. So even if he doesn't win the starting safety job in camp, there will likely still be a role for Mukuba early in the season. Mukuba said he likes those dime looks because he can show he's able to do more than just play in the post.

The Eagles weren't hesitant to put a lot on Mukuba's plate early in camp. Now, they just have to get him back on the field as a full participant.

When asked if he thinks Mukuba will be available for Thursday's preseason opener, defensive coordinator Vic Fangio said, Probably not." That will leave him with just two preseason games and practice reps to show his worth.

What do the Eagles want to see from Mukuba when he is back full-go?

I would just say the play speed," defensive backs coach Christian Parker said. Drew's been doing a really god job on the mental side of what he can handle. Walkthroughs, meetings, watching extra film, doing all those things. Now, it's just getting out there. You can't substitute physical reps. But he's doing everything he can possibly for the mental side of the game."