At least 6 weeks away (Eric Hartline pic).

Eagles defensive tackle Mike Patterson is out at least the first six weeks of the season after being placed on the reserve/non-football illness list Monday.

Patterson insists he's just one good set of X-rays from returning. The way Patterson understands it, in a couple of weeks X-rays of his head will be shipped to the surgeon who cut it open to remove an AVM. At that point a decision will be made about availability for this season. He’s eligible to be activated between the sixth and ninth weeks of the season.

"Aint no doubt about my ability coming back or anything like that," Patterson said. "I don’t have any worries about that. It’s just more being anxious and in a hurry to get back out there.

"They just want to be smart. Head trauma is a sensitive subject. You’ve just got to be smart with it."

To get down to the 75-man limit the Eagles placed offensive tackle Jason Peters (Achilles' tendon surgery) on the reserve/non-football injury list, guard Mike Gibson (hip flexor) on injured reserve and waived wide receiver Jamel Hamler. Peters also is eligible to return between the sixth and ninth weeks although that would seem unlikely, as he tore the same Achilles’ tendon twice.

The Eagles like the 11 defensive linemen on the roster, including tackles Derek Landri, Cullen Jenkins, Fletcher Cox, Cedric Thornton and Antonio Gibson.

If Andy Reid decides to keep six defensive ends, a tackle will have to go when the Birds cut to 53 by 9 p.m. Friday.

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