The Eagles are heading to London with a roster that has been turned over in a hurry. Between Lane Johnson’s retirement, Cam Jurgens being traded to the Baltimore Ravens, and a fresh wave of injuries, Philadelphia’s Week 5 setup looks very different from what it did a few days ago.
The biggest offensive questions sit up front and at receiver. Drew Kendall and Dontayvion Wicks could miss Week 5 after getting hurt, and that leaves the Eagles staring at a depth chart that may be thinner than they’d like.
Jake Majors and Zach Ertz are still listed on the practice squad, but both are expected to be called up for the game. Majors is lined up to take over at center because of Kendall’s injury, while Ertz gives the offense another pass-catching option at a time when the receiver group is banged up.
Philadelphia’s projected offense starts with Jalen Hurts at quarterback, followed by Tanner McKee, Andy Dalton and Coly Payton. The backfield lists Will Shipley and Dameon Pierce, with Carson Steele mentioned as a possible last-second practice squad promotion.
The receivers currently projected are Darius Cooper, Makai Lemon, Elijah Moore and Britain Covey, though the group could be down to just four available wideouts if the injury situation breaks the wrong way. DeVonta Smith and Hollywood Brown are both expected to be out because they haven’t practiced this week, and Wicks’ injury came later and does not look promising.
That shortage at receiver could push the Eagles toward plenty of 12 or even 13 personnel, with two or three tight ends on the field. Dallas Goedert leads that room, with Ertz, Johnny Mundt and E.J. Jenkins behind him.
The offensive line is where the changes get really noticeable. Jordan Mailata and Fred Johnson are listed at left tackle, Willie Lampkin and Micah Morris at left guard, Majors at center, Tyler Steen and Micah Morris at right guard, and Markel Bell with Fred Johnson at right tackle.
The Eagles appear headed toward two new starters in Majors and Lampkin, and Johnson is back in the tackle mix for depth. Morris is listed as a backup for both guard spots.
After everything this line has already dealt with, carrying only seven active offensive linemen would be a gamble.
On the injury front, the names to watch on offense are Saquon Barkley, Tank Bigsby, DeVonta Smith, Hollywood Brown, Dontayvion Wicks, Landon Dickerson and Drew Kendall.
Defensively, the front and the secondary look more stable than the offense. Jalen Carter and Byron Young are listed on one line, with Jordan Davis, Moro Ojomo and Ty Robinson filling out the interior.
The edge spots belong to Jalyx Hunt and AJ Epenesa on one side, Nolan Smith Jr. and Arnold Ebiketie on the other. Zach Baun and Smael Mondon Jr. are at one inside linebacker spot, while Jeremiah Trotter Jr. is listed at the other.
The biggest concern on defense is linebacker depth. Last week Baun was out, and this week it could be Campbell.
The encouraging sign is that Campbell practiced Thursday, which keeps the door open for him to play. If he can’t go, the Eagles would be left with only three healthy linebackers and no reinforcements coming.
At corner, Quinyon Mitchell and Jonathan Jones are projected to start, with Riq Woolen and Kelee Ringo behind them. Cooper DeJean, Kenny Moore II and Mac McWilliams are listed at nickel.
Safety has Andrew Mukuba paired with Michael Carter II and Kenny Moore II. Epps being out trims the depth there, but Carter handled himself well as a starter in Week 4, so the group still looks workable.
The defensive line and secondary should hold up, and Greenard could miss a third game after sitting out practice the first two days of the week. Nolan Smith Jr. and Hunt have already stepped in well during his absence, so that part of the lineup is not expected to shift much.
The special teams adjustment is straightforward: Britain Covey is the likeliest kick returner now that Shipley is set to start at running back. Beyond that, Philadelphia’s special teams picture remains relatively stable heading into Week 5.
In Other News...
Nick Saban Sends Strong Message As Pressure Builds On Jalen Hurts
Jalen Hurts heads into a Week 5 road test in Jacksonville with the Eagles short on the kinds of help a quarterback usually leans on. DaVonta Smith and Saquon Barkley are out, and Hurts has also been navigating a battered offensive line, leaving Philadelphia to ask its quarterback to keep the offense moving through another stretch of uncertainty.
Amid the pressure, former coach Nick Saban offered a reminder of why Hurts has long drawn praise for more than just his play. Saban highlighted Hurts character and resilience, framing the quarterback as someone who has already lived through adversity and responded the right way, a message that lands differently with the Eagles facing another game where the margin for error feels thin. [Read more 🡒]
Eagles Head Into London Severely Shorthanded Before Jaguars Kickoff
The Eagles are heading into their London matchup against the Jaguars with a much thinner margin for error than usual, and the Week 5 inactive list made that clear. Philadelphia has already had to shuffle around its offense because of injuries, and now the depth chart is going to be tested again with backups such as Will Shipley at running back and Jake Majors at center expected to shoulder larger roles.
Jonathan Greenard is among the players unavailable, leaving him out because of an ankle injury and sidelined for a third game this season. He is joined on the inactive list by Saquon Barkley, DeVonta Smith and Hollywood Brown, a collection of absences that leaves the Eagles piecing together a game plan with far less firepower than they would normally expect in a matchup that already comes with the added challenge of travel. [Read more 🡒]
Eagles Head To London With A Problem They Can't Keep Hiding
The Eagles arrive in London with more than a cross-Atlantic trip on their hands. A matchup with the Jaguars now comes against a backdrop of roster strain, with Philadelphia trying to steady itself after a week that has thinned out key parts of the offense and put added pressure on a group that usually sets the tone for everything else.
Philadelphias line already had little margin for error, and the timing of the latest changes only makes the challenge sharper overseas. With Jacksonville carrying a 3-1 record and a strong statistical profile, the betting market is leaning toward the Jaguars, and the specific matchups up front could go a long way toward determining whether the Eagles can keep this from turning into a much bigger early-season problem. [Read more 🡒]