December 23, 2023
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Kate Frese/For PhillyVoice
Eagles WR DeVonta Smith, pictured during the Vikings game back in Week 2, will play Monday against the Giants.
The Philadelphia Eagles have some new names on their injury report. Their Week 16 opponent, the New York Giants, lost starting quarterback Daniel Jones for the season, but have actually played better since he went down.
Here's the Eagles-Giants injury report, with analysis:
| Player | Injury | Thurs | Fri | Sat | Status |
| CB Darius Slay | Knee | DNP | DNP | Out | |
| WR DeVonta Smith | Knee | DNP | DNP | - | |
| LG Landon Dickerson | Thumb | DNP | DNP | Out | |
| LB Zach Cunningham | Knee | DNP | DNP | Out | |
| LB Nicholas Morrow | Abdomen | DNP | DNP | Questionable | |
| RG Cam Jurgens | Pectoral | Full | Full | Full | - |
| CB Avonte Maddox (IR) | Pectoral | Full | Full | Full | Out |
Thursday notes:
• Smith has been on the injury report with a knee injury early in the week a couple other times this season, but this is a new injury. He was hit in the knee during the Seahawks game, I'm told.
• Slay will almost certainly not play this week. Expect Kelee Ringo to get another start after playing well on Monday night against the Seahawks. The Giants have unthreatening receivers, so this is a rare game in which Slay's absence isn't a major concern.
• Jurgens' full participation after missing the Seahawks game is a mild surprise. He'll likely play based on that development. If Dickerson can't go, it'll likely be Sua Opeta at LG.
• Add Morrow to the growing list of linebacker injuries.
• Maddox is still on IR (more below), but the team activated his 21-day practice window on Thursday. It's encouraging that he was a full participant. To be determined if he will play this week or if he'll need some time to get "back into football shape."'
Friday notes:
• No changes.
Saturday notes:
• There's no game designation for Smith, so he'll play. That's probably the most important thing.
• Obviously, Morrow isn't a world beater, but if he can't go then the Eagles are facing the prospect of starting Shaq Leonard and Ben VanSumeren at linebacker. Maybe getting an extended look at VanSumeren wouldn't be the worst thing?
• Maddox needs more time to ramp up before he plays.
• 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. He's likely done for the season.
• CB Avonte Maddox: Maddox had surgery to repair a torn pectoral muscle in September. 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. The Eagles had instability at slot corner all season, and Maddox's absence has proven to something of a big loss. The Eagles opened Maddox's 21-day practice window on Thursday.
• 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.
| Player | Injury | Thurs | Fri | Sat | Status |
| DT Dexter Lawrence | Hamstring | DNP | DNP | Limited | Questionable |
| S Xavier McKinney | Illness | DNP | Limited | Full | - |
| OT Evan Neal | Knee | DNP | DNP | DNP | Out |
| DT Rakeem Nunez-Roches | Knee | DNP | DNP | DNP | Out |
| TE Lawrence Cager | Groin | DNP | DNP | Limited | Questionable |
| DT A’Shawn Robinson | Back | Limited | Limited | Limited | Questionable |
| RB Matt Breida | Hamstring | Limited | Limited | Full | - |
| P Jamie Gillan | Left Groin | Limited | Limited | Limited | - |
| LB Carter Coughlin | Neck | Limited | Limited | Full | - |
| TE Darren Waller | Hamstring | Full | Full | Full | - |
| OL Justin Pugh | Calf, Neck | Full | Full | Full | - |
| RB Gary Brightwell | Hamstring | Full | Full | Full | Questionable |
| OT Matt Peart (IR) | Shoulder | Full | Full | Full | - |
Thursday notes:
• Lawrence is probably the best player on the Giants' roster. The Giants aren't officially eliminated yet, but obviously are not going to the playoffs. It will be interesting to see if they are smart about not playing their good, hurt players in their three remaining meaningless games, or if they play a guy like Lawrence because of pride or some other such nonsense.
• Neal has had a rough start to his career after being selected seventh overall in the 2022 draft. He was replaced in the lineup at RT by Tyre Phillips, who was on the Eagles' practice squad earlier this season.
Friday notes:
• No changes, though it feels like the Giants won't have Lawrence suit up.
Saturday notes:
• The Giants' interior defensive line is very depleted.
• Neal is out. The Eagles would have probably preferred that he play.
• QB Daniel Jones: Jones tore his ACL in October. His season is over. His final stat line of the season: 108 of 160 (67.5%) for 909 yards, 2 TDs, 6 INTs, 30 sacks, and 4 fumbles in 6 games (1-5 in those starts). 😬
Tyrod Taylor initially took over for Jones, followed by Tommy DeVito after Taylor went down.
• K Graham Gano: Gano has been a good kicker in the NFL for a long time, but he had a rough season, going 11 for 17 on field goal attempts before going on IR with a left knee injury that required surgery. Gano was replaced by Randy Bullock, who was injured Week 15 against the Saints.
• The Giants oddly have three injured backup offensive linemen, but an otherwise (mostly) healthy starting lineup:
None of those guys are any good.
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