With Jalen Hurts out for the season because of blood clots, the Eagles are walking into Sunday night’s matchup with the Washington Commanders in a strange and fragile spot. The on-field problems are obvious enough. What happens next at the trade deadline is less certain, and Tom Pelissero doesn’t see Philadelphia heading for a selloff.
In his Substack, the NFL insider said he would be “very surprised” if the Eagles started dealing away stars like Saquon Barkley, DeVonta Smith, and Zack Baun. Pelissero pointed to Howie Roseman’s reputation around the league and said there is “no reason to think he’ll break character and go into fire-sale mode now,” while also leaving open the idea that the Eagles could still become “buyers.”
“The Eagles will know a lot more about where they stand after their next two games, both against division foes: Sunday at Washington and then November 8 at home against the Giants, who currently sit atop the standings at 4-2-1,” Roseman wrote. “If the Eagles win both, who knows? Maybe the Eagles could end up being buyers, not sellers, as they head into their bye.”
Pelissero also argued that Philadelphia’s financial picture is not as bleak as it may look from the outside. He pointed to the league’s “revenue trajectory” and the way the Eagles have leaned on options and “void years” to help manage the cap.
“And they already have plenty of ammunition to keep adding to the roster over the next two years, including extra first- and second-round picks in the 2028 draft from the A.J. Brown and Cam Jurgens deals, respectively,” Pelissero continued.
“Howie will answer every call, as he always does. But that doesn’t mean he’ll actually trade anybody-especially not locker-room fixtures who are signed beyond 2026.”
The Eagles will keep sorting out their direction before the Nov. 10 deadline, and Sunday against the Commanders could go a long way toward clarifying whether they’re trying to chase help or brace for more uncertainty. Philadelphia is also trying to snap a five-game skid.
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Eagles Suddenly Have A Backfield Problem They Can't Ignore
The Eagles backfield has gone from a luxury to a concern in a hurry, with injuries thinning the running back room to the point where Elijah Mitchell and Jaydon Blue are the only healthy options. Mitchell, who joined Philadelphia this summer, was briefly cut before being brought back, and he saw action in Week 7 as the team tried to patch together a workable rotation. Saquon Barkley is still the preferred answer when available, but the group around him has become increasingly fragile.
Mitchell is now in position to take on a much larger role in Week 8 against the Washington Commanders, with the Eagles needing someone steady enough to help keep the offense on schedule. Blue remains in the mix, but the bigger issue is whether Philadelphia can get enough stability from a unit that has been hit hard at the wrong time. For a team built to lean on balance, the next few days could determine how much flexibility the Eagles really have in the run game. [Read more 🡒]
Eagles Suddenly Look Thin In One Area Before Washington
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Saquon Barkley and DeVonta Smith were among the names sidelined again, and their continued absence stands out because both are central to what Philadelphia wants to do on offense. Add in the other missed practices and the fact that 14 more players were limited or full participants, and the Eagles are suddenly managing a roster that looks thinner than usual at a key point in the week. [Read more 🡒]
Eagles Rough Start Just Reignited The Jalen Hurts Future Debate
A rough stretch has a way of turning every Eagles conversation back to the quarterback position, and Jalen Hurts is once again at the center of it. Hurts is out for the season because of blood clots, though the expectation is that he will recover, and the teams current skid has only added more noise around what comes next for Philadelphia at the games most important spot.
Hurts is still under contract through 2028 and holds a no-trade clause, but the long view is where the uncertainty starts to creep in. With the Eagles future quarterback plans still very much in the speculative stage, the debate has shifted from whether they need to think ahead to how aggressively they might eventually do it. [Read more 🡒]