The Eagles’ backfield keeps taking hits, and Saquon Barkley’s latest injury update only deepens the concern.
Barkley was not seen participating in Thursday’s practice, extending the uncertainty around his hamstring injury and making his availability for Week 5 against the Jacksonville Jaguars even murkier. He has now gone another day without getting on the field after suffering the injury during Sunday’s loss to the Los Angeles Rams.
The issue surfaced early against Los Angeles, and Barkley was forced out after just two carries for eight yards. Even though he reportedly walked normally after the game, he has still not returned to practice this week. Philadelphia’s official injury report has him listed with the hamstring problem, but his game designation has not been set yet.
That absence matters because Barkley has been productive through four games, rushing for 182 yards. It also matters because the Eagles’ offense has already looked out of sorts over the last two weeks.
The running back situation got even thinner when Tank Bigsby was placed on injured reserve with a core muscle injury against the Rams. Bigsby is expected to have surgery, which leaves Philadelphia scrambling for answers behind Barkley.
If Barkley is unable to go Sunday in London, Will Shipley is expected to handle the biggest share of the work in the backfield. The Eagles could also turn to another running back promoted from the practice squad for added depth.
Thursday’s missed practice is a bad sign, and Friday now looms as Barkley’s last chance to show enough progress before the final injury report comes out. Right now, he looks unlikely to suit up in Week 5, which would be another major blow for a team already dealing with a pile of offensive injuries.
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