The Eagles’ injury picture got a lot more crowded on Wednesday night, and the biggest name on the list is Zack Baun.
Because Philadelphia only held a walkthrough, the report is an estimation. Even so, Baun landing in the NFL’s concussion protocol is the kind of development that immediately changes the conversation for Week 4 against the Rams. The All-Pro linebacker was on the field for 66 of 72 defensive snaps against the Bears and finished with a team-high 9 tackles, 2 TFLs and a pass breakup, but he apparently took a concussion in that game and now has a short week to try to clear the protocol.
That’s a tough spot, especially with the Rams offense waiting.
Baun wasn’t the only notable name who did not practice. The Eagles listed WR Marquise Brown (ankle), TE Dallas Goedert (knee), T Fred Johnson (knee), RB Will Shipley (foot), and WR DeVonta Smith (hamstring) alongside him.
The limited group included LB Jihaad Campbell (knee), DT Jordan Davis (calf), and DT Moro Ojomo (calf/elbow).
A handful of players were listed as full participants: RB Tank Bigsby (abdomen), DT Jalen Carter (wrist), WR Darius Cooper (knee), OLB Jonathan Greenard (pectoral), and DT Byron Young (toe).
Goedert, Brown and Johnson all sat out Monday night’s game in Chicago with those injuries, so their names showing up on the report again isn’t a surprise. Smith, meanwhile, missed practice to start last week before ramping up and playing against the Rams on Monday. His status will be worth watching once the team gets back on the field Thursday.
One other detail stands out: all of the Eagles’ top three interior defensive linemen are now on the injury report.
For now, though, the real clarity should come when Philadelphia holds its first actual practice of the week on Thursday. On a short week, walkthroughs only tell you so much.
In Other News...
Jalen Carter's Injury Is Forcing An Eagles Decision Fans Feared
Jalen Carter has been working through a hairline fracture in his right wrist since Week 1, and the early signs have been hard to ignore. The Eagles defensive tackle has been playing with a soft cast, but his snap count has dipped over the first three games and the injury has started to show up in his effectiveness, creating a familiar kind of concern around one of the teams most important young defenders.
Now the Eagles are facing the kind of roster decision nobody wanted to see this early in the season. Short-term injured reserve would give Carter time to rest and recover without forcing him to grind through the issue, but it would also leave the defense without a disruptive interior presence for the next stretch of games. For a team that expects to lean on Carter all season, the question is no longer whether the wrist matters. It is how much the Eagles are willing to protect the second half at the expense of the present. [Read more 🡒]
Eagles Suddenly Have A Safety Problem They Thought Was Solved
The Eagles went into the season expecting the safety spot beside Reed Blankenships old role to be sorted out, but through Week 3 it has become a job share instead. Marcus Epps and Michael Carter II are splitting the starting duties, with defensive coordinator Vic Fangio confirming the rotation will continue as the team leans on both players in different defensive packages.
For a defense that wanted clarity on the back end after letting Blankenship leave in free agency, the arrangement is at least a workable answer for now, but not exactly a settled one. The Eagles are getting useful snaps from each defender, yet the continued rotation also leaves open the bigger question of whether one of them will seize the spot outright or whether this becomes a long-term committee. [Read more 🡒]
Eagles Are Still Tweaking A Depth Spot Fans Should Watch
The Eagles kept their practice squad moving this week, shuffling a couple of names while continuing to fine-tune the back end of the roster. Philadelphia re-signed defensive tackle Gabe Hall, placed linebacker Chance Campbell on the practice squad injured list and added linebacker Anfernee Orji, a veteran of the Saints and Titans, as it looks to keep its defensive depth and special teams options flexible.
Orjis arrival is the kind of under-the-radar move that can matter once injuries and game-day activations start shaping the season. For a team that values versatility at the bottom of the roster, these are the spots worth watching, and the Eagles are still sorting through which pieces can best help when the margins get tight. [Read more 🡒]