The Eagles’ week started with one major roster move and quickly turned into a broader availability puzzle.
Philadelphia placed quarterback Jalen Hurts on injured reserve because of a superficial blood clot in his calf, then added running back Jaydon Blue from the practice squad to the active roster. By Sunday, the list of moving parts had widened: Carson Steele was questionable to return with a shoulder injury, and edge rusher Nolan Smith was ruled out with a concussion.
That is a lot for one game plan to absorb at once.
Blue is positioned to make his Eagles debut on Sunday, giving Philadelphia another backfield option at a time when the team is already thin there. Two of the Eagles’ top three running backs have landed on IR, and Steele’s status only adds to the uncertainty. He was injured on the play, returned to the sideline with his helmet, got back on the field with the special teams unit, then went back to the medical tent before eventually being ruled out.
Steele’s day was brief even before the injury report caught up to him. He was targeted twice and caught one pass for four yards before leaving the game.
The Eagles also elevated outside linebacker Keyshawn James-Newby and safety Cole Wisniewski from the practice squad for Sunday’s game. Both rookies are set to make their NFL debuts, which gives Philadelphia more fresh faces to lean on as the roster thins out around them.
James-Newby’s path to this point has been a quick one. He was a seventh-round pick out of New Mexico, and now he is in line for his first NFL action alongside Wisniewski.
Philadelphia’s inactive list added another layer to the picture. The Eagles did not activate cornerback Jakorian Bennett, tight end Grant Calcaterra, guard Landon Dickerson, and tight end Eli Stowers from injured reserve, downgrading all four to out for Sunday’s game.
The result is a roster that is being asked to cover multiple gaps at once: a quarterback on IR, a backfield that has already been hit hard, and an edge group that lost Smith for the week. The Eagles also have a larger picture to keep in view, with the team looking to climb back to.500.
For now, the question is less about one replacement than about how many the Eagles can manage at the same time.