October 29, 2023
The Philadelphia Eagles have had their share of injuries so far in 2023, but they have gotten some players back in recent weeks, and should be getting even more reinforcements soon. Their Week 8 opponent, the Washington Commanders, have mostly had good injury luck so far this season, but listed eight players on their initial injury report this week.
Here are the Eagles' and Commanders' inactives, with analysis.
QB Tanner McKee will be the Eagles' emergency quarterback. Julio Jones was called up from the practice squad to the gameday roster.
Jordan Davis did not practice on Friday, but he is active.
• CB Bradley Roby: The Eagles will probably use a mix of Josiah Scott and Eli Ricks against Washington, and Sydney Brown could get some reps in the slot as well with Kevin Byard having been added tot he mix at safety.
• RB Rashaad Penny: The Eagles just don't seem to have much use for Penny, unless a running back goes down.
• TE Albert Okwuegbunam: TE4.
• DT Moro Ojomo: DT7
• LB Patrick Johnson: Special teamer only so far this season.
• RG Cam Jurgens: Jurgens sprained his foot against the Commanders Week 4. He won't be eligible to play again until Week 9 against the Cowboys. The Eagles will be facing a whole lot of opponents with outstanding interior defensive linemen in October, as we have noted.
• Week 5: At Rams, Aaron Donald ✔️
• Week 6: At Jets, Quinnen Williams ✔️
• Week 7: Dolphins, Christian Wilkins ✔️
• Week 8: At Commanders, Jonathan Allen and Daron Payne
Sua Opeta has done a nice job in relief of Jurgens, last Sunday night against the Dolphins aside.
• 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.
• 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 has started four games for the Eagles, and when healthy, has been competent. However, he already missed a game earlier this season with a neck injury and is now on IR with a knee injury. Evans has a long history of injuries since he entered the league in 2017, missing 43 games, not including the 2021 season, when he was not on an NFL roster. He will be eligible to come off IR after the Eagles' Week 9 game against the Cowboys. The Eagles traded for Titans safety Kevin Byard on Monday.
• WR Quez Watkins: Watkins has battled 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 will be eligible to come off IR after the Eagles' Week 9 game against the Cowboys.
Nothing particularly noteworthy here:
Curtis Samuel is active#PHIvsWAS | #HTTC
— Washington Commanders (@Commanders) October 29, 2023
• LB Cody Barton (IR): Barton is a starting linebacker. He leads the team with 61 tackles. He will be replaced in the lineup by David Mayo.
• RG Saahdiq Charles (IR): Charles is the starting LG. He is probably the worst of the Commanders' starting five along their bad offensive line. He will likely be replaced by Chris Paul or rookie Ricky Stromberg.
• S Darrick Forest (IR): Forrest is a starting safety for the Commanders. He had 88 tackles, 4 INTs, and 9 PBUs in 2022. He had 29 tackles in 2023 before landing on IR with a fractured shoulder.
• S Jeremy Reaves (IR): Reaves has been a special teamer only this season for the Commanders, but he was a First-team All-Pro special teamer in 2022.
• DE Shaka Toney (SUS): 8 tackles, 1.5 sacks as a rookie in 2021. 8 tackles, 0 sacks in 2022. Toney is suspended indefinitely for betting on NFL games.
• TE Armani Rogers (IR): Rogers is a former quarterback turned tight end who was signed as an undrafted rookie free agent last year. He made the team and made five catches on the season. With a shaky group at tight end, there was some thinking that Rogers could make a leap in Year 2 and become a factor in the Commanders' offense, but he tore his Achilles in OTAs, ending his season.
• iOL Braeden Daniels (IR): Versatile rookie fourth-round pick. I happened to notice reports this summer from the Commanders' beats that he was struggling in camp.
Follow Jimmy & PhillyVoice on Twitter: @JimmyKempski | thePhillyVoice
Like us on Facebook: PhillyVoice Sports
Add Jimmy's RSS feed to your feed reader
