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November 19, 2023

Eagles-Chiefs Week 11 injury report, with analysis

RG Cam Jurgens and CB Bradley Roby are both full participants in practice and are likely to be activated ahead of Monday night's game against the Chiefs.

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111623NickBolton Denny Medley/USA TODAY Sports

Chiefs LB Nick Bolton won't play on Sunday against the Eagles.

Fresh off each of their byes in Week 10, the Eagles and Chiefs will face off in a rematch of Super Bowl LVII in Kansas City Week 11. The Eagles have several players who are eligible to return to the lineup from injured reserve, while the Chiefs are a relatively healthy team at this juncture of the season.

Here's the Eagles-Chiefs injury report, with analysis.

051020EaglesLogo2020
Player Injury Thurs FriSat Status 
TE Dallas GoedertForearmDNPDNP DNPOut
S Justin Evans Knee Limited Limited  Limited Out 
RG Cam Jurgens Foot Full Full Full  -
CB Bradley Roby Shoulder Full Full Full  -
TE Grant Calcaterra Concussion Full Full Full  -


Thursday notes:

• To be determined if Goedert will be placed on IR. We probably won't know until Saturday. More on him below.

• Jurgens is still on IR (as noted below), but as a full participant in practice on Thursday he will almost certainly be elevated to the 53-man roster this week. Jurgens will start at RG and Roby will likely start at slot corner.

Friday notes:

• No changes.

Saturday notes

• The Eagles elevated Jurgens from injured reserve, so he'll start at RG. The Eagles do not have to make any corresponding moves to make room for Jurgens, as they place Nakobe Dean on IR earlier in the week.

• Evans will not return from IR this week.

Out (not on IR, for now, but won't play against the Chiefs)

TE Dallas Goedert: Goedert is third on the team in receiving, behind A.J. Brown and DeVonta Smith. Through nine games, he has 38 catches for 410 yards and 2 TDs. His season began slowly, as he had just 13 catches for 88 yards and no TDs in the Eagles' first four games. However, over the last five games, his production picked up, as he had 25 catches for 322 yards and 2 TDs. With Goedert out likely for an extended period of time, the Eagles' new starting tight end will likely be Jack Stoll, a good blocker, but a near nonfactor in the passing game. The Eagles also have Grant Calcaterra and Albert Okwuegbunam, who are better receivers than they are blockers, but again, do not have Goedert's ability on any level.

Notable players on IR, PUP, suspension, etc.

CB Avonte Maddox: Maddox had surgery to repair a torn pectoral muscle. His season is likely over. The oft-injured Maddox missed games at three different junctures during the season in 2022, and was only able to play in two games in 2023. He also missed three games in 2018, four games in 2019, and six games in 2020. He is one of the best slot corners in the NFL when healthy, but it seems there will always be durability concerns. Slot corner is a position where the Eagles had already lost depth, as backup Zech McPhearson tore his Achilles during the Eagles' preseason game against the Browns. The Eagles have had a different plan in the slot pretty much every week since Maddox went down.

• 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 will likely land 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. 

Zach Cunningham has been the Eagles' best linebacker so far this season, as he has been a physical presence in the middle of the defense. Nicholas Morrow has also had his moments, notably in the Eagles' overtime win against the Commanders, when he had three sacks.

• S Justin Evans: Evans was the Eagles' choice to start opposite Reed Blankenship, as he beat out Terrell Edmunds and Sydney Brown during training camp for that opportunity. He started four games for the Eagles earlier this season, and when healthy, has been competent. However, he has a long history of injuries, missing 43 games from 2017-2022 (not including the 2021 season, when he was not on an NFL roster). Evans is eligible to come off of IR at any time. Of course, he lost his starting job when the Eagles traded for Kevin Byard, but he should give the Eagles some added depth on the back end.

• WR Quez Watkins: Watkins has battled hamstring injuries this season, and only has 4 catches for 21 yards in 3 games played. In the Eagles' win over the Rams, Watkins had a chance to pick up a key first down but instead ran directly into a defender who easily rode Watkins out of bounds. That play continued a common theme of Watkins failing to make a play when an opportunity was there. The Eagles have since signed Julio Jones, and they also have Olamide Zaccheaus. Watkins is eligible to come off of IR at any time.

090920ChiefsLogo2020

Player Injury Thurs FriSat Status 
CB L'Jarius SneedKnee Full Full Full 
S Justin Reid Calf Full Full Full 
WR Kadarius Toney Ankle Full Full Full 
LB Drue Tranquill Shoulder Full Full Full 
RB Jerick McKinnon Groin Full Full Full 
RB Clyde Edwards-Helaire Illness Full Full Full 
WR Justin Watson Elbow Full Full Full 
P Tommy Townsend Wrist Full Full Full 
WR Richie James Knee Full Full Full Questionable 


Thursday notes

• The Chiefs are basically just making me do extra work listing nine guys who were full participants in practice on Thursday.

Friday notes:

• No changes.

Saturday notes

• The Chiefs only have one player listed with a gameday designation. That is Richie James, who is listed as questionable, and who might not even if healthy anyway.

Notable players on IR, PUP, suspension, etc.

LB Nick Bolton (IR): Bolton finished second in the NFL with 180 tackles in 2022. He missed three games earlier this season with a sprained ankle, but returned to the field before dislocating his wrist Week 7 against the Chargers. He is on IR and is expected to miss two months. You may remember Bolton from this play in the Super Bowl (don't actually watch this): 

Drue Tranquill has filled in for Bolton when Bolton has been out. Unfortunately for the Eagles, they will not have Dallas Goedert to capitalize on that potential matchup advantage.


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