The Eagles are making room on the roster before Week 5, and that means Andy Dalton is on the way out - at least for now.
Philadelphia needs flexibility as it heads into its matchup with the Jacksonville Jaguars, and with injuries piling up, Dalton became the expendable piece. Mike Garafolo of NFL Network reported the move this way: “The Eagles are releasing QB Andy Dalton, sources say. Tanner McKee and Cole Payton will be the backups to Jalen Hurts moving forward,” Mike Garafolo of NFL Network wrote on X, formerly Twitter.
That may not be the end of Dalton’s time in Philadelphia. Garafolo also noted that the door is still open for a return: “This doesn’t close the door on Andy Dalton’s tenure with the Eagles.
They have a lot of injuries and needed his spot. Could still return, even via a practice-squad spot, a source informed says,” Garafolo said.
Dalton has seen only one bit of action so far, entering the Chicago Bears game after Jalen Hurts went to the medical tent to be checked for an injury. Outside of that brief appearance, he’d been waiting on the sideline for a chance that never came.
The Eagles are juggling more than one absence. DeVonta Smith and Saquon Barkley are both dealing with hamstring injuries and did not practice this week, which puts their availability for Jacksonville in serious doubt. With roster spots at a premium, Philadelphia had to make a tough call.
If Smith and Barkley can’t go, the Eagles will be leaning on the next wave of options around Hurts, who will need to build timing with the other receivers on the roster.
Philadelphia enters Week 5 on a rough note, having dropped its last two games. The team hasn’t been sharp on either side of the ball during that skid, and with key players hurt, getting back on track against the Jaguars won’t be simple.
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Eagles Injury Report Just Put Jalen Hurts In A Tough Spot
A Wednesday injury report can tell you plenty about where a team stands, and this one offered a little relief for the secondary. Quinyon Mitchell was back as a full participant after hyperextending his knee against the Rams, a sign the Eagles are likely to have one of their top young defensive backs available against the Jaguars. Around him, the list was a reminder that this is still a team carrying a fair amount of wear, with Zack Baun, Jihaad Campbell, Dallas Goedert, Fred Johnson, Dontayvion Wicks, DeVonta Smith and Hollywood Brown all limited or out for parts of the day.
The bigger concern may be up front, where the offensive line is not exactly settling in. Drew Kendall missed practice again, and with the Eagles already sorting through options, the possibility grows that less experienced hands could be pushed into the mix. For Jalen Hurts, that is the kind of development that changes everything about a game plan, especially when the margin for error gets thinner in a hurry. [Read more 🡒]
Eagles Face A Troubling London Warning As Injuries Keep Mounting
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Injuries have been piling up around the roster, and the timing could hardly be worse with a Jaguars defense that is expected to make life difficult and an offense with enough weapons to punish mistakes. Philadelphia also has to navigate recent roster changes that have left the group more undermanned than it would prefer, turning an already tricky overseas trip into one that feels loaded with pressure before kickoff. [Read more 🡒]
Jalen Hurts Just Sent A Clear Message On Eagles Play Caller
Jalen Hurts did not sound like a quarterback looking to create more noise around an already shaky Eagles offense. Instead, he publicly backed offensive coordinator Sean Mannion as Philadelphia tries to sort through an early-season slump that has left the unit near the bottom of the league in points and yards. With consecutive losses piling up, Hurts pointed toward patience and the need to keep building chemistry with a new play-caller rather than adding to the criticism.
Sean Mannion has held firm in his confidence in the scheme, and Hurts comments offered a clear sign that the quarterback is not interested in a public split. For a team that has not found its rhythm, the message matters almost as much as the next game plan, because the Eagles need the offense to stabilize quickly before the frustration around it grows any louder. [Read more 🡒]