Eagles Enter Rams Game With A Risky Setup They Didn't Expect

Amidst a series of roster adjustments and injuries, the Eagles face a formidable Rams team in a high-stakes Week 4 matchup.

The Eagles’ Week 4 inactive list turned into a clear snapshot of just how tight things are getting in Philadelphia.

Lane Johnson, who had been listed as questionable because of a personal issue, is officially out for the game against the Los Angeles Rams. That leaves the Eagles with only two active offensive tackles, Jordan Mailata and Markel Bell, and Bell is set to make his first career start at right tackle. Bell was the team’s third-round pick in the 2026 NFL Draft.

The quarterback situation also took an interesting turn. Tanner McKee is active and has moved into the backup role, while Andy Dalton is also active after being bumped down to QB3.

Dalton was demoted after throwing an interception on his lone pass in the Eagles’ 27-7 loss to the Chicago Bears in Week 3. Because six Rams-game injury report absences forced the Eagles into some roster juggling, the team will have to keep three quarterbacks active.

Here’s the full list of Eagles inactives for Week 4:

Zack Baun, LB
Hollywood Brown, WR

Marcus Epps, S
Dallas Goedert, TE

Fred Johnson, OT
DeVonta Smith, WR

Lane Johnson, OT
Cole Payton, QB

The roster math is ugly in a few places. Philadelphia is down to three active safeties and three active inside linebackers, while carrying four active tight ends. At the same time, the team is dealing with multiple players already working through injuries, including Jalen Carter and Andrew Mukuba.

That setup leaves the Eagles thin across the board as they head into a difficult matchup with the Rams. With the lineup stretched and the injuries piling up, Philadelphia is going to need some luck and a few big performances to get through it.

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Johnsons status also comes with a larger long-term backdrop after he announced plans to retire following the 2026 NFL season. He already dealt with a Lisfranc injury that cost him part of last season, so even a short-term update like this tends to invite bigger questions about what comes next for an aging cornerstone in the middle of another demanding year. [Read more 🡒]

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Tank Bigsby stepped in after Barkley exited, with Will Shipley also picking up snaps as the Eagles tried to piece together the running game on the fly. Barkley has still produced 174 rushing yards through the first four weeks, but the bigger worry now is whether this is becoming a pattern rather than a one-off, and how long Philadelphia can keep its ground game on track if he keeps getting dinged up. [Read more 🡒]