The Eagles’ Week 6 inactive list brings a little bit of everything - a key back out, a fresh set of practice-squad call-ups, and a few lineup wrinkles that will shape how Philadelphia lines up against the Panthers.
Saquon Barkley won’t play after being ruled out on Friday’s final injury report, and the Eagles are suddenly thin at running back. With Barkley out and both Tank Bigsby and Will Shipley on injured reserve, Philadelphia is down its top three backs.
That leaves Dameon Pierce, Carson Steele, and Jaydon Blue as the active group at the position. All three started the season on the practice squad, and Blue - a former Dallas Cowboys draft pick - is active for the first time in his Eagles career.
Pierce is expected to handle most of the workload, with Steele behind him as RB2. Blue is likely to have only a limited role, if any.
Drew Kendall is active after entering the weekend questionable, though pregame warmups suggested he could be there only in an emergency role after being limited in practice. Jake Majors could start at center for the second straight week.
The Eagles are also short on edge help. Jalyx Hunt and A.J.
Epenesa are both out, which leaves Philadelphia with four active edge rushers: Jonathan Greenard, Nolan Smith, Arnold Ebiketie, and Keyshawn James-Newby. James-Newby is set for his NFL regular season debut after being temporarily elevated from the practice squad.
At safety, Michael Carter II’s absence means Marcus Epps will be the top safety next to Andrew Mukuba in nickel packages, while Cooper DeJean lines up beside Mukuba in base defense.
Hollywood Brown is a healthy scratch after not carrying a game status on the final injury report. The active receiver group includes DeVonta Smith, Dontayvion Wicks, Darius Cooper, Makai Lemon, Elijah Moore, and Britain Covey.
Joe Milton III is listed as the emergency third quarterback after joining the Eagles on Friday. Tanner McKee will make his third career start while filling in for Jalen Hurts, who was placed on injured reserve. Rookie Cole Payton will back up McKee as QB2.
Rookie safety Cole Wisniewski is also making his NFL regular season debut after being temporarily elevated from the practice squad.
In Other News...
Jalen Hurts Backlash Just Added Another Layer To Eagles Concern
Jalen Hurts absence already landed hard in Philadelphia because of the medical seriousness behind it, and now the discussion around his injury has spilled into another layer of noise. The Eagles quarterback is sidelined after doctors found a blood clot that had moved, a development serious enough to keep him out at least against the Panthers, and the team has had to absorb the uncertainty without one of its defining players.
Former Seahawks fullback Michael Robinson only made the backdrop noisier when he questioned the injury circumstances on NFL Network, drawing a sharp public response from Robert Griffin III. Griffin pushed back on Robinsons remarks while also praising Drake Mayes recent play for New England, but for the Eagles, the larger issue remains the one they cannot shortcut: Hurts health and the wait to see how long this situation will keep him off the field. [Read more 🡒]
Eagles Just Sent A Complicated Signal On Jalen Hurts
Jalen Hurts being sidelined indefinitely has put the Eagles in an awkward spot, even as the team tries to keep its quarterback available for as long as possible. The injury, a superficial blood clot in his calf, is serious enough to pause his on-field work, but Philadelphia is not taking the next step that would lock him into a longer absence.
What makes the situation more complicated is the timing. The issue was already known by Week 4, and while medical experts believe Hurts could miss more than a month, the Eagles are leaving the door open rather than shutting it completely. For a team trying to navigate the next stretch without its starter, that means the focus shifts from a clean timeline to an uncertain wait that could stretch toward late October or early November. [Read more 🡒]
Jalen Hurts Drew Serious Backlash Over How His Health Was Discussed
Jalen Hurts health became the center of an ugly and unnecessary debate this week after an NFL Network analyst floated the idea that the Eagles quarterback could be using a blood clot to dodge blame for the teams offensive struggles. Michael Robinson later acknowledged he is not a medical expert, but his remarks still minimized the seriousness of a condition that has kept Hurts status in the spotlight and added another layer of noise around a season already under a microscope.
The reaction was swift, with former NFL quarterback Robert Griffin III publicly pushing back and stressing that this is not the kind of issue that should be handled casually. For Philadelphia, the episode was another reminder of how quickly concerns about Hurts can spill beyond the field, especially when the conversation turns from football to health and the line between criticism and irresponsibility starts to blur. [Read more 🡒]