January 06, 2019
The Philadelphia Eagles will head into their wildcard weekend playoff matchup against the Chicago Bears with a laundry list of injured players, as they've done all season. The Bears, meanwhile, have had incredible injury luck in 2018.
Here's the final Eagles-Bears injury report, with analysis:
• QB Carson Wentz: Wentz will be inactive for now, but we'll see if that changes if the Eagles are able to advance in the playoffs.
• CB Sidney Jones: Jones has suffered several setbacks this season to a hamstring that has never really gotten better.
• WR Mike Wallace: Wallace began the season as the No. 2 receiver, as something of a replacement for Torrey Smith in the speed receiver role, but he broke his fibula against the Buccaneers Week 2, and has been on IR ever since. The team activated Wallace off of IR a couple weeks ago.
• LB D.J. Alexander: Special teamer only.
• DT Bruce Hector: With Jernigan up, Hector is down.
• OG Matt Pryor: Pryor is back down after being active for the first time last week.
• OG Chance Warmack: With Issac Seumalo returning to the field, Warmack is down.
• DE Derek Barnett (IR): Barnett had shoulder surgery, and his season is over. Barnett was the starting RDE who was off to a fast start this season, collecting 2.5 sacks (including a game-ending sack against the Indianapolis Colts), before suffering a shoulder injury against the Tennessee Titans. He played two games through the injury, but was much less effective than when he was fully healthy. Michael Bennett has taken over as the new starting RDE.
• CB Jalen Mills (IR): Mills was toasted quite a bit during the early part of the season, but he was playing better when he went down with a foot injury. After seeing some of his replacements in action over the last few games, it is clear why Schwartz prefers Mills over the rest of the bunch.
• CB Ronald Darby (IR): Darby was up and down as a starter this season before he tore his ACL. At a minimum, he's a lot better than the players who are trying to replace him.
• RB Jay Ajayi (IR): Ajayi was acquired from the Miami Dolphins at the trade deadline last season, and he was a contributor to the Eagles' Super Bowl run, carrying 70 times for 408 yards (5.8 YPC) and 1 TD during the regular season, and then adding 184 yards on 42 carries during the playoffs. In four games this season, Ajayi rushed 45 times for 184 yards and 3 TDs, while playing through a fracture in his back. He was placed on IR with a torn ACL.
• S Rodney McLeod (IR): McLeod is done for the season after tearing his MCL during the Eagles' win over the Indianapolis Colts. On the season, he had 10 tackles and four pass breakups, which doesn't properly convey the positive contributions he made in the first three games. McLeod was replaced initially by Corey Graham, and later Avonte Maddox, and now back to Graham.
• RB Corey Clement (IR): In 2017, Clement had a great rookie season, culminating in a standout performance in the Super Bowl, when he caught four passes for 100 yards and a TD. Many thought he would build on his impressive rookie season in 2018, but that never happened, as Clement was hampered with a quad injury. In 2018, he had 68 carries for 269 yards (3.8 YPC) and two TDs on the ground, and 22 catches for 192 yards (8.7 YPC) and zero TDs through the air.
• WR Mack Hollins (IR): The Eagles placed Hollins on IR with a groin injury. He has not played at all this season.
• ST Chris Maragos (PUP): Maragos is still recovering from a serious knee injury suffered Week 6 last year against the Carolina Panthers. He had a second surgery on his knee last week.
• TE Josh Perkins (IR): Perkins is done for the season with a knee injury. The Eagles activated Richard Rodgers off of IR to replace him.
• OT Jordan Mailata (IR): We never got a chance to see Mailata in real game action.
The Bears will unexpectedly be without TE Trey Burton:
Today's inactives for #DaBears:
— Chicago Bears (@BearsPR) January 6, 2019
11 Kevin White
64 Eric kush
69 Rashaad Coward
80 Trey Burton
83 Javon Wims
97 Nick Williams
99 Aaron Lynch#PHIvsCHI | #NFLPlayoffs
• CB Bryce Callahan: Callahan was the Bears' slot corner before he broke his foot against the Rams. On the season, he had 45 tackles, 2 INTs, 2 sacks, and 6 pass breakups.
• OLB Sam Acho: Acho appeared in 16 games (12 starts) for the Bears in 2017. He had 40 tackles and 3 sacks. In a lesser role in 2018, Acho appears in four games, and had just one tackle before pulling a pectoral muscle.
That's it -- just two players worth noting on IR for the Bears.
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