The Eagles are heading into their Week 4 matchup with the Los Angeles Rams carrying a roster construction that has plenty of fans shaking their heads. With six key players ruled out because of injury, Philadelphia suddenly looks thin in the spots where it can least afford to be thin.
The list of absences is a rough one: Zack Baun at linebacker with a concussion, Hollywood Brown at wide receiver with an ankle injury, Marcus Epps at safety with a groin issue, Dallas Goedert at tight end with a knee injury, Fred Johnson at offensive tackle with a knee injury, and DeVonta Smith at wide receiver with a hamstring injury.
That leaves the Eagles with only three safeties and three linebackers available for the game, which is why the decision to keep four quarterbacks on hand stands out even more. Philadelphia will also have four tight ends available, with Zach Ertz and Josiah Deguara elevated to the 53-man roster.
The linebacker situation is especially awkward. Jeremiah Trotter Jr. and Jihaad Campbell are expected to handle inside linebacker duties for the full game, and Trotter may also have to chip in on special teams because of the shortage. Smael Mondon Jr. is likely to take on a bigger special-teams role, but Trotter could still be needed there as well.
At safety, the Eagles are leaning on Michael Carter II to fill in for Epps. Behind Carter and Andrew Mukuba, Kenny Moore is set to be active for the first time this season after spending two weeks learning the safety position.
Meanwhile, the quarterback room remains crowded. The Eagles are still carrying Andy Dalton, Tanner McKee, and Cole Payton along with the rest of the group, even though those extra arms do little to solve the roster problems created by the injuries at linebacker and safety.
That frustration only grows after what happened in the Week 3 loss to the Chicago Bears, a 27-7 defeat in which Dalton threw a bad interception in the end zone when the Eagles were inside the five-yard line on third-and-goal.
For fans, the bigger issue is simple: the roster appears overloaded at quarterback and tight end while being short-handed in places where every snap matters. Howie Roseman has earned plenty of trust from the fan base, but this setup has people wondering why Philadelphia is so heavy at one position group and so exposed at others.
With injuries piling up, the concern is that this quarterback decision is going to create problems down the road. For now, it just adds another layer of frustration to a week in which the Eagles badly need a win to steady things.
In Other News...
Lane Johnson Update Leaves Eagles Fans With A Bigger Concern
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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 🡒]
Eagles Just Sent A Troubling Message About Their Backup Quarterback Spot
The Eagles are making a change behind Jalen Hurts, with Tanner McKee set to replace Andy Dalton as the backup quarterback for the game against the Los Angeles Rams, according to NFL Networks Mike Garafolo. The move comes after Dalton threw an interception in a recent game and after coaches offered mixed signals about how they feel about the depth of the quarterback room.
McKee, a sixth-round pick in 2023, has already shown enough in limited action to stay in the conversation. He has started two career games and owns a 99.5 passer rating, which gives Philadelphia a different look at a spot that suddenly feels worth watching a lot more closely. [Read more 🡒]
Saquon Barkleys Latest Injury Leaves Eagles Facing A Bigger Concern
Saquon Barkleys latest setback arrived during the game against the Los Angeles Rams, when a hamstring injury forced the Eagles to take him out for the rest of the afternoon. Philadelphia had already been managing his workload after he missed most of Week 2 with a stinger, and the timing only adds to the concern around a backfield that was built to lean on him early and often.
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 🡒]