The Eagles will have their top receiver back for Sunday, but they won’t have another one of their top offensive players.
While DeVonta Smith (hamstring/toe) will play in the Week 6 matchup against the Panthers, running back Saquon Barkley (hamstring) has been ruled out.
Smith was a full participant in Friday’s practice. He told reporters that he was feeling good, but he’d leave the decision as to whether or not he’d play up to the doctors.
They’ve apparently given Smith the OK after he missed the last two games.
Smith has 19 catches for 235 yards with one touchdown so far in 2026.
Barkley did not practice all week.
Defensive back Michael Carter (abdomen), outside linebacker Jalyx Hunt (knee/ankle), running back Will Shipley (foot), and quarterback Jalen Hurts (calf) have been ruled out. Shipley has been placed on injured reserve, the team announced.
Outside linebacker A.J. Epenesa (back) is doubtful.
Cornerback Jakorian Bennett (knee), tight end Grant Calcaterra (back), guard Landon Dickerson (knee), offensive lineman Drew Kendall (knee), and tight end Eli Stowers (quad) are all questionable.
Linebacker Zack Baun (shoulder), receiver Marquise Brown (ankle), linebacker Jihaad Campbell (knee/wrist), defensive tackle Jalen Carter (wrist), outside linebacker Arnold Ebiketie (shoulder), safety Marcus Epps (groin), outside linebacker Jonathan Greenard (ankle), tight end E.J. Jenkins (toe), offensive tackle Fred Johnson (knee), safety Andrew Mukuba (shoulder), guard Tyler Steen (shoulder), and receiver Dontayvion Wicks (hamstring) are all off the injury report and are set to play.
Panthers Clips
Panthers veteran Taylor Moton returned to practice this week for the first time since developing blood clots in his lungs in June and the offensive tackle could be in the lineup against the Eagles on Sunday.
Moton has been listed as questionable to make his first appearance of the season. Moton has been the right tackle in Carolina and it looks like they are going to be missing his replacement in the lineup.
First-round pick Monroe Freeling took over the job while Moton was recovering, but he’s listed as doubtful to play due to the knee injury he suffered in Week 4. Stone Forsythe replaced Freeling in that game.
Running back AJ Dillon (ankle) is the only player that has been ruled out. Left guard Damien Lewis (elbow), linebacker Jaelan Phillips (hamstring), running back Trevor Etienne (ankle), and defensive tackle Turk Wharton (neck) are questionable.
DeVonta Smith is listed with toe and hamstring injuries. The Eagles wide receiver said Friday that the toe is not the problem. The hamstring is.
“I tweaked it against Tennessee [in Week 2],” Smith said, via Dave Uram of SportsRadioWIP. “Played through it. Obviously played through it at Chicago. And then just felt like it wasn’t smart to just keep going out there and just playing on it and making it worse.”
Smith has missed the past two games. He hopes to return Sunday against the Panthers.
The Eagles have not posted their injury designations for the game yet.
“I’m good,” Smith said. “It’s up to the doctors.”
The Eagles already know they will play without quarterback Jalen Hurts, who has a blood clot in his calf. Tanner McKee will make his first career non-Week 18 start.
Tanner McKee fell to No. 3 on the depth chart ahead of Week 1 this season, but he worked his way back to the No. 2 job in time to be the next man up when the Eagles made a surprising announcement on Thursday.
Jalen Hurts will not play against the Panthers in Week 6 because of a blood clot in his calf and it is unclear when he will be cleared to return to action. That positions the 2023 sixth-round pick to make his first start outside of a pair of throwaway Week 18 games after the Eagles had already clinched their postseason spot.
On Thursday, McKee said the backup mindset is to be ready at a moment’s notice so it’s a positive that he will get practice time with the first team heading into his chance to make a strong impression on the Eagles and the entire league this Sunday.
“Every opportunity that you get to play is a huge opportunity, especially being a sixth-round pick,” McKee said. “Every opportunity is a huge opportunity. I’m obviously very excited and ready to make the most of it.”
The Eagles have a lot of injury issues beyond the one that’s knocked Hurts out of action, so it’s not an ideal situation for a backup to come in and shine but it’s the chance that McKee gets and we’ll see what he can do with it on Sunday.
The Eagles announced on Thursday that quarterback Jalen Hurts will not play against the Panthers due to a blood clot in his calf, which leaves Tanner McKee in line to make the first non-Week 18 start of his career.
McKee may have wide receiver DeVonta Smith available for the game. Smith has missed the last two games with a hamstring injury and he did not practice on Wednesday, but the team listed him as a limited participant in Thursday’s practice.
Wide receiver Dontayvion Wicks is moving in the opposite direction with his hamstring injury. Wicks was out of practice Thursday after working on a limited basis on Wednesday.
Running back Saquon Barkley (hamstring) remained out of practice and is on track to miss his second straight game. Defensive back Michael Carter (abdomen), linebacker AJ Epenesa (back), linebacker Jalyx Hunt (knee, ankle), and running back Will Shipley (foot) were also out on Thursday.
Cornerback Jakorian Bennett (knee), wide receiver Hollywood Brown (ankle), tight end Grant Calcaterra (back), guard Landon Dickerson (knee), linebacker Jonathan Greenard (ankle), tight end EJ Jenkins (toe), center Drew Kendall (knee), guard Tyler Steen (shoulder), and tight end Eli Stowers (quad) were the team’s limited participants.
Linebacker Zack Baun (shoulder), linebacker Jihaad Campbell (knee, wrist), defensive tackle Jalen Carter (wrist), linebacker Arnold Ebiketie (shoulder), safety Marcus Epps (groin), offensive tackle Fred Johnson (knee), and safety Andrew Mukuba (shoulder) were all listed as full participants.
When the Eagles released Andy Dalton last week, they kept the possibility open for the veteran backup to return on the team’s practice squad.
Now with starter Jalen Hurts dealing with a blood clot, Philadelphia could use him back. But Dalton, who remains a free agent, could be headed elsewhere.
Per Mike Garafolo of NFL Network, Dalton has offers from multiple teams and he has been mulling them over for a few days. It’s still to be determined where he’ll end up.
The Eagles currently have Tanner McKee as the backup on the 53-man roster behind Hurts. Rookie Cole Payton is also on the roster. The team does not currently have a QB on its practice squad.
Dalton threw one pass when Hurts had to come out during Philadelphia’s loss to Chicago on Sept. 28. It was intercepted.
Eagles quarterback Tanner McKee is set to start on Sunday against the Panthers after Jalen Hurts was ruled out with a blood clot. It will be the first meaningful start of McKee’s NFL career.
McKee has started two games, in Week 18 the last two years, when the Eagles had already clinched their playoff seeds and decided to rest Hurts and their other top players. He’s never played a snap outside garbage time in a meaningful regular-season game.
The Eagles had a very experienced backup quarterback in Andy Dalton, but they cut him last week before Hurts was diagnosed with the blood clot. It wouldn’t be surprising if the Eagles ask Dalton to come back now that they need another quarterback.
The only other quarterback on the roster is Cole Payton, a fifth-round rookie who has a lot of talent but only started one season at North Dakota State and isn’t viewed as a player who’s ready to lead an NFL team right away.
We’ll find out on Sunday if McKee is ready.
On Wednesday, Eagles quarterback Jalen Hurts declined to say much about a calf injury that popped up on Friday’s injury report.
On Thursday, the Eagles said plenty.
Hurts is out for the Week 6 game against the Panthers with a blood clot in his leg.
Here’s the full statement from the team:
“On Thursday, October 8th, Jalen visited the training room after practice requesting treatment for his calf. He informed the medical staff he had been cleated during the Rams game on October 4th. This was his first treatment session for the calf injury following the game, after having practiced in full both Wednesday and Thursday. On Friday, Jalen received treatment, practiced in full, and was added to the practice report.
“Out of an abundance of caution, an ultrasound was performed on Saturday following the team’s flight to London and walkthrough. The ultrasound revealed a superficial blood clot. Our medical staff and doctors in London reviewed the results and concluded that activity and mobility were important and that Jalen could safely play. Doctors recommended a follow-up ultrasound within 72 hours of the game and the return flight to Philadelphia.
“Jalen played without limitation in the game Sunday, received treatment on Monday and Tuesday, and practiced in full on Wednesday, as reflected in the practice report. Throughout our time in London and this week, we have remained in communication with the league office regarding the matter.
“On Wednesday night, a follow-up ultrasound revealed movement in the small blood clot. Jalen will be out for Sunday’s game vs. the Panthers as we determine the appropriate course of treatment. His health and safety are our highest priority.”
Needless to say, it’s a situation that could take some time to resolve. For now, he’ll miss at least one game.
Last week’s injury report for the Eagles included a curious designation on Friday. And Wednesday’s comments from the player at the center of the issue served only to make it more curious.
Quarterback Jalen Hurts was listed as fully participating in Friday’s practice before the game against the Jaguars with a calf injury. He had no injury designation for Sunday’s game in London, and he was never downgraded to questionable or doubtful.
When the question came up during his midweek press conference, here’s what Hurts said: “It was a very unique experience, to say the least. I don’t want to get into the details of kind of leading up to the game and whatnot, but got nicked up in the Rams game.”
There’s a lot there, in not that many words. What would be “very unique” about a calf injury that didn’t impact his practice reps? And why would it be a big secret?
The complicating factor is that the Eagles flew to London on Friday. Did he require medical care in London? Would it be something that the team doctors were able to provide? Did he have to visit a local hospital for it?
He said he was “nicked up” during the Rams game, but he wasn’t on the injury report for Wednesday or Thursday. Was is it that could have happened on Sunday that would have resulted in symptoms on Friday. (A condition like compartment syndrome typically surfaces much more quickly.)
Regardless, plenty of questions flow from what seems to be very innocuous and basic on the surface. Hurts’s words deepen the mystery.
He remains on the Week 6 injury report, in advance of Sunday’s game against the Panthers. Hurts was listed as a full participant in Wednesday’s practice, due to the calf injury.
Whatever the explanation is, there’s clearly more to the story than what the team has disclosed. And the NFL doesn’t require much more than the bare-bones contents of the injury report.
The Eagles have 24 players on their injury report. None were resting players.
Six of those didn’t practice.
Running back Saquon Barkley (hamstring), defensive back Michael Carter (abdomen), outside linebacker Jalyx Hunt (knee/ankle), center Drew Kendall (knee), running back Will Shipley (foot) and wide receiver DeVonta Smith (hamstring/toe).
The toe injury is a new addition for Smith.
Cornerback Jakorian Bennett (knee), wide receiver Marquise Brown (ankle), tight end Grant Calcaterra (back), offensive guard Landon Dickerson (knee), outside linebacker AJ Epenesa (back), safety Marcus Epps (groin), outside linebacker Jonathan Greenard (ankle), tight end EJ Jenkins (toe), offensive guard Tyler Steen (shoulder), tight end Eli Stowers (quad) and wide receiver Dontayvion Wicks (hamstring) were limited.
Linebacker Zack Baun (shoulder), linebacker Jihaad Campbell (knee/wrist), defensive tackle Jalen Carter (wrist), outside linebacker Arnold Ebiketie (shoulder), quarterback Jalen Hurts (calf), offensive tackle Fred Johnson (knee) and safety Andrew Mukuba (shoulder) were full participants.
