PHILADELPHIA (Aug. 24, 2005) -- Philadelphia Eagles running back Correll Buckhalter will miss the season after having his third season-ending knee surgery in four seasons.
Buckhalter, who missed nearly all of training camp, underwent surgery to repair a torn patella tendon in his right knee Aug. 23.
Last year, he had season-ending surgery on the same tendon after he injured it in a preseason game.
Buckhalter, a fifth-year pro out of Nebraska, has been an asset when healthy but will miss his third full season because of injury. He missed all of the 2002 season after tearing a ligament in his left knee in minicamp.
Buckhalter averaged 4.5 yards per carry as a rookie and chipped in with 542 yards and eight touchdowns as part of a three-pronged running attack with Duce Staley and Brian Westbrook in 2003.
With Buckhalter out and Staley gone, Westbrook emerged as the Eagles' top back, totaling 1,515 total yards and leading NFL running backs with 73 catches for 703 yards and six touchdowns.
The injury leaves the Eagles thin and small at running back, with Westbrook, rookie Ryan Moats and third-year pro Reno Mahe as the Eagles' top three runners.
