The Philadelphia Eagles dropped their second official injury report of the week on Thursday, and the biggest bombshell is their top receiver, DeVonta Smith, who is now “legitimately questionable” for Sunday’s Week 4 showdown against the Los Angeles Rams. Smitty’s hamstring has kept him out of practice for a second straight day, and if he can’t get on the field Friday, the Eagles will be without their main guy against a seriously tough opponent. That’s a gut punch, no doubt.
Key Starters DNP, Depth Gets Tested Hard
It’s not just Smith, either. The Eagles had five players listed under “DID NOT PARTICIPATE” on Thursday, and it’s a list that screams trouble. Zack Baun is stuck in concussion protocol and looks like he’s gonna run out of time to get cleared for Sunday. If Baun can’t go, it means Jeremiah Trotter Jr. will be stepping in for his third career start alongside Jihaad Campbell. This would also mark Baun’s first missed game with the Eagles not related to rest, which tells you how serious this is. Then there’s Dallas Goedert, whose Week 2 knee injury was already expected to sideline him for multiple games. This means Zach Ertz, Johnny Mundt, and E.J. Jenkins are holding down the tight end spot for the second game in a row. Hollywood Brown also hasn’t practiced since picking up an ankle injury last week, which is especially a shame since the Eagles could really use him healthy if Smith is out. Lastly, Fred Johnson is also dealing with a knee injury from last week’s practice, meaning rookie Markel Bell is now the swing tackle. This is a lot of key guys missing, and it puts a massive strain on the depth chart.
Limited Action and Safety Concerns
The news isn’t all bad, but the “LIMITED PARTICIPATION” list also has some new worries. Marcus Epps, a new addition to the report, is nursing a groin injury. This is a big problem because if Epps can’t play, the Eagles are down to just two healthy full-time safeties: Andrew Mukuba and Michael Carter II, who is actually a converted nickel corner. They’ve been trying Cooper DeJean at safety in base packages, and Kenny Moore II might have to get some reps back there despite his lack of experience. And get this: their only practice squad safety is rookie Cole Wisniewski, because Maximus Pulley signed with the Rams last week! You can’t make this stuff up! Moro Ojomo and Jordan Davis were limited for the second day in a row, so we’ll be watching to see if they can go full on Friday. On a slightly brighter note, Will Shipley got upgraded from DNP to limited, so he’s got a fighting chance to play. The good news is Jihaad Campbell, Jonathan Greenard, Jalen Carter, Darius Cooper, Tank Bigsby, and Byron Young were all full participants and are good to go.
It all comes down to Friday’s practice for Smitty and the rest of the question marks. Will he be out there? If not, the Eagles are going to have to dig deep and find a way to light up the scoreboard without some of their key offensive weapons. This Week 4 clash with the Rams is gonna be a real test of their depth and grit, and we’ll be watching every snap to see who steps up.
This article was created with AI assistance and published under Seattle On Tap’s editorial standards. See our Editorial Policy.
Originally reported by Bleeding Green Nation.
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