The Eagles had no choice but to get creative at running back.
With Saquon Barkley sidelined and Tank Bigsby now on injured reserve, Philadelphia was left thin enough that the backfield was basically reduced to Will Shipley and a prayer. So the team moved quickly, and according to ESPN’s Jeremy Fowler, the Eagles are elevating former Houston Texans running back Dameon Pierce to the 53-man roster.
“The Eagles are elevating RB Dameon Pierce to the 53-man roster, per source,” Fowler reports. “RB help needed due to injuries to Saquon Barkley and Tank Bigsby.”
That kind of move was always coming once the injuries piled up. Bigsby is expected to miss at least four weeks, while Barkley is likely out for at least Week 5 and possibly another week or two beyond that. Philadelphia now heads into its matchup with the Jacksonville Jaguars in London with a backfield that needs bodies as much as production.
Pierce gives the Eagles both of those things, at least in a limited role. He flashed a little during the preseason with Philly, appearing in one game and turning four carries into 44 yards, an eye-catching 11 yards per attempt. At 5-foot-10 and 215 pounds, he brings a sturdier frame to pair with Shipley in a reshaped rotation.
His recent regular-season numbers show a back who can still handle work when called upon. In 2024, Pierce carried the ball 40 times for 293 yards and two touchdowns with the Texans.
Last season, split between Houston and Kansas City, he had 14 rushes for 36 yards and no scores. In 2023, he logged 145 carries for 415 yards and two touchdowns.
Pierce’s biggest year came in 2022, when he ran for 939 yards and four touchdowns on 220 carries for Houston. He also added 30 catches on 39 targets for 165 yards and a receiving touchdown that season.
He’s not walking into Philadelphia as a featured weapon, but the Eagles needed another runner in the building, and Pierce at least gives them a veteran option with some rushing upside while the offense waits for help to get healthy.
In Other News...
Eagles Rainy Loss Sparked A Viral Moment Fans Didn't See
Rainy Sundays in Philadelphia can make even a routine sideline assignment feel like a test of endurance, and Erin Andrews gave fans a glimpse of just how messy it got during the Eagles-Rams game. The longtime broadcaster posted behind-the-scenes photos and video on Instagram showing her preparing to work through the wet conditions, offering a look at the kind of cleanup and constant adjustment that comes with covering an NFL game in a downpour.
The weather added another layer to a game that already turned sharply against Philadelphia, as the Rams rallied for a 24-20 win. Kyren Williams helped fuel the comeback, while Andrews post ended up becoming one of those viral reminders that the broadcast booth and sideline have their own battle when the rain starts falling. [Read more 🡒]
Eagles May Need O-Line Help More Than The Trade Market Can Offer
The offensive line market has become one of the leagues quiet pressure points, and Philadelphia is right in the middle of it. With injuries and retirements thinning out depth across the NFL, the Eagles join teams like the Packers, Patriots and Ravens as clubs that could be looking for help, even if the trade buzz around that need has not really started to build yet.
ESPNs Dan Graziano pointed to that group as possible participants if the market ever opens up, but the problem is obvious: good linemen are hard to find and even harder to pry loose. For the Eagles, the bigger issue may be whether the help they need is even available in a market where demand is already outpacing supply. [Read more 🡒]
Nick Sirianni Just Reopened A Frustrating Eagles Offense Debate
Nick Sirianni didnt try to dress up the early-season uncertainty when talking about the Eagles offense, instead acknowledging that the group is still in the process of figuring out what it wants to be. With a new coaching staff, injuries and the usual September-to-October adjustments, Philadelphia has had to keep changing course on the fly, and Sirianni said the offense is being shaped around the strengths of the players who are available.
The broader issue is what that means for a team that opened 2-2 and has already dealt with key absences. Sirianni framed it as a league-wide reality, noting that plenty of teams are still searching for their identity this early, but the Eagles have their own pressure point as they try to settle on an approach that can hold up once the season starts tightening around them. [Read more 🡒]