Ronald Darby: I need to have a healthy season

[Swoop]

Cornerback Ronald Darby hit the open market as a free agent last week, but he wound up back with the Eagles on a one-year deal.

The decision to take that deal was influenced by the fact that Darby tore his ACL in Week 10 and missed the rest of the season. His play before that injury (and after the dislocated ankle that kept him out of eight games in 2017) had him on track for a longer deal, but Darby knows that he needs to show his play hasn’t suffered from the knee injury before that will be a possibility.

“I just need to have a healthy season. … I’d love to be back here after the one-year deal,” Darby said, via Philly.com. “I love it here. I had two back-to-back injuries, which played a huge role in things. But if I have a healthy year, I can go out there and make plays and we’ll see.”

The first step in putting together a healthy season will be getting cleared to return to football work. Darby said his rehab has been going great and he feels “right on pace” to be ready for the start of the regular season.