December 31, 2023
The Philadelphia Eagles are getting healthier as the regular season winds down. They only listed five players on their initial injury report this week. Here's the Eagles-Cardinals injury report, with analysis.
Tanner McKee will be the emergency quarterback, and LB Brandon Smith will be a gameday elevation from the practice squad.
• CB Darius Slay: This is the third straight game that Slay will miss after having his knee scoped. With Kelee Ringo playing well in Slay's absence, it's maybe best if the Eagles just save Slay for the postseason? On the other hand, the Cardinals have a number of small, shifty receivers that Slay is better equipped to cover than guys like Ringo or James Bradberry, though the return of Avonte Maddox to the lineup should help.
• LB Zach Cunningham: The Eagles will likely start Nicholas Morrow and Shaq Leonard at linebacker.
• CB Bradley Roby: With Maddox back, Roby is down. Mild surprise there.
• OL Tyler Steen: With Landon Dickerson and Cam Jurgens both healthy, Steen is down. The backup linemen will be Sua Opeta, Jack Driscoll, and Fred Johnson.
• DT Marlon Tuipulotu: The Eagles have Moro Ojomo up over Tuipulotu, another mild surprise.
Rashaad Penny is active!
• LB Nakobe Dean: Entering the 2023 season, Dean was the clear No. 1 linebacker on the roster, as the team was counting on him to take on a much bigger role than what he had as a rookie in 2022. That has not gone to plan, as he landed on injured reserve after suffering a foot injury Week 1 against the Patriots. He returned Week 6 and played in four games before again suffering a foot injury that landed him on injured reserve for a second time this season. When he has played, Dean has been fine as a run defender and as a tackler (PFF has him down for 0 missed tackles), but he has struggled in coverage. PFF has him down for 13 completions on 14 targets for 120 yards.
Dean was seen on a Roll-A-Bout in the locker room last week. This week he graduated to crutches and a walking boot. He's likely done for the season.
• S Justin Evans: Evans was the Eagles' choice to start opposite Reed Blankenship to begin the 2023 season, as he beat out Terrell Edmunds and Sydney Brown during training camp for that opportunity. He started four games for the Eagles, and when healthy, was a competent player. He landed on IR with a knee injury, lost his starting job when the Eagles traded for Kevin Byard, and reverted to season-ending IR when he was unable to make progress toward a return.
We'll update with the Cardinals' inactives when they are made available, but as noted in our Week 17 picks, the Cardinals' front seven is extremely banged up. Here were their Week 1 defensive starters, with players on IR in red, players on the injury report in orange, and players no longer on the team or who have lost their starting jobs crossed out:
• DL: L.J. Collier (IR)
• NT: Leki Fotu (IR)
• DL: Jonathan Ledbetter (injury report, out)
• OLB: Victor Dimukeje (injury report, questionable)
• LB: Kyzir White (IR)
• LB: Josh Woods (IR)
• OLB: Zaven Collins (injury report, will play)
• CB Marco Wilson
• CB Kei'Trel Clark
• S Budda Baker
• S Jalen Thompson
Update:
Inactives vs. Eagles pic.twitter.com/UxSzVd7rmn
— Arizona Cardinals (@AZCardinals) December 31, 2023
• WR Marquise Brown: Brown is second on the team with 574 receiving yards behind TE Trey McBride, and he leads the team with 4 receiving TDs. He is their best receiver, as their most dangerous deep threat.
• LB Kyzir White: White's season is over, after he suffered a biceps injury. He had 90 tackles, an INT, a sack, a 3 PBUs in 11 games (all starts).
• LB Josh Woods: Woods has played in 11 games this season for the Cardinals, starting 7. He has 61 tackles, 0.5 sacks, and 1 FF.
• DT Leki Fotu: Fotu is a mammoth 6'5, 334-pound space eater. He had 25 tackles and 2.5 sacks in 10 games (9 starts) before being being placed on IR with a broken hand.
• DT Carlos Watkins: Watkins played for the Cowboys the last two seasons, and signed with the Cardinals this offseason. He played in 2 games (1 start), before being lost for the season with a biceps injury. His season was off to a good start (7 tackles, 1 sack, 1 batted pass) before he went down.
• DT L.J. Collier: Collier was a Seahawks first-round bust who signed with the Cardinals this offseason. He started Week 1, but suffered a biceps injury and hasn't played since. Lots of biceps injuries for this team.
• TE Geoff Swaim: With Zach Ertz no longer on the team, Swaim is the No. 2 tight end. 10 catches, 94 yards in 2023.
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