The Eagles are headed into their bye week with a decision that feels bigger than the next game on the schedule. DeVonta Smith and Saquon Barkley may be ready to come back after the break, but that does not mean they should.
Smith has already sat out half the season because of a hamstring injury, and there still isn’t much evidence that he’s close to being back. He hasn’t practiced in nearly a month, and it remains unclear whether the Eagles are simply being careful or whether his season is already effectively done. He did return against the Carolina Panthers, looked sharp, and found the end zone, but since then he’s been out of sight.
Barkley’s situation is different, but the concern is just as real. He has missed two games with a hamstring injury and has been grinding through the last three weeks while also dealing with a back issue.
He flashed in the Week 7 loss to the Dallas Cowboys, averaging 8.9 yards per carry, but the production dropped hard in Weeks 8 and 9. Against the Washington Commanders and New York Giants, he averaged just 2 yards per carry on 26 total rushing attempts.
That’s the problem for Philadelphia. The Eagles are 2-7 and have less than a 2% chance of making the playoffs.
At that point, the case for pushing injured stars back onto the field gets pretty thin. Barkley deserves credit for wanting to be out there with his teammates, but if he isn’t operating at full speed, the Eagles are getting less from him while risking a worse injury.
Smith and Barkley aren’t the only names that should be in that conversation, either. Jalen Carter and Dontayvion Wicks also fit the profile of players who may be better served by sitting the rest of the season if they aren’t fully healthy after the bye.
Wicks has missed the last three games with an ankle injury and, like Smith, doesn’t appear close to returning. Carter has been playing through a wrist injury since Week 1, and while he has been effective, it has clearly affected him at times.
His cast has been getting smaller over the last month, which at least suggests progress. Wicks, on the other hand, hasn’t practiced in almost a month.
The bigger picture matters here. The Eagles showed at the trade deadline that the future is part of the plan, and they now hold two first-round picks in the 2027 NFL Draft after trading away Jordan Davis to the Jacksonville Jaguars. With that in mind, Smith, Barkley, Carter, and Wicks all look like players who could matter more next year than they do in a lost season.
That first practice after the bye will tell the story. If these injuries still aren’t right, Philadelphia should seriously think about shutting people down. The 2027 picture matters a lot more than trying to salvage 2026.
In Other News...
Eagles Just Sent A Clear Message About Their Receiver Plans
The Eagles used their Week 10 bye to make a notable shift at receiver, mutually agreeing to waive veteran Marquise Brown. It ends a brief stint in Philadelphia for Brown, who appeared in four games and posted five catches for 63 yards without finding the end zone.
Browns next stop now depends on whether he clears waivers, which would make him an unrestricted free agent. For the Eagles, the move signals a clearer turn in how they want to shape the receiver room as they come out of the break and into the stretch run. [Read more 🡒]
Eagles Draft Plans Are Already Pointing To A Sneaky Position Fit
The Eagles already have an extra first-round pick sitting in their 2027 draft stash after the Jordan Davis trade, and that kind of future flexibility tends to sharpen every conversation about roster building. Even with that long view in place, the more immediate intrigue is in the later rounds, where Philadelphia has a habit of finding useful pieces by leaning into fit, value and development rather than just chasing the obvious names.
A handful of under-the-radar college prospects are starting to look like the sort of players this front office could circle back to when the board thins out. Running back Jamal Roberts, cornerbacks Jamari Sharpe and Vicari Swain, edge rusher Anto Saka and tight end Andrew Rappleyea all bring traits that line up with different Eagles needs, which is exactly why they belong on the radar now. The bigger question is which of those fits becomes real when draft weekend arrives and Philadelphia starts turning its long-range planning into actual picks. [Read more 🡒]
Eagles Just Sent A Troubling Message About Their Passing Game
The Eagles have already moved on from Hollywood Brown, parting ways with the veteran wide receiver by mutual consent after a brief and quiet stint in Philadelphia. Signed to a one-year deal in March, Brown never found much traction in the offense, appearing in four games and finishing with five catches for 63 yards while the team continued to shuffle pieces around its receiver room.
Browns departure adds another layer to a passing game that has been searching for consistency, even with several other wideouts still on the roster and practice squad. Because of the timing of the release, he now goes through the waiver claim process, leaving open the possibility that another team could step in before Philadelphia gets any chance to revisit the move. [Read more 🡒]