A lot of important Eagles players will miss practice again because of injuries.
On Friday, the Eagles were returning to the practice field to keep getting ready for their game against the Seahawks in Monday night. But they didn’t have three important players.
Darius Slay (cornerback) hurt his knee, Cam Jurgens (right guard) hurt his chest, and Zach Cunningham (linebacker) hurt his knee. They all missed practice over the second day in a row.
Jurgens went to practice, but only to watch. During the offensive line drills where media were present, he saw Sua Opeta, a veteran, work out at right guard between Jason Kelce as well as Lane Johnson.
Early in the season, Opeta started four games while Steen was on injured reserve. However, youngster Tyler Steen started the last contest against Dallas beforehand the bye week.
But Opeta is fit again, and it looks like he will start if Steen can’t go this week. This would be Jurgens’ sixth lost game in 2023 if he can’t play on Monday.
He has played in 34 games and started eight of them over the course of his career. The Eagles first got Opeta from Weber State within 2019 as an amateur free agent.
It’s likely that Morrow and Leonard would start for the Eagles if Cunningham is out. Ben VanSumeren, a rookie UDFA, would be their best backup.
We’ll see what happens with Slay. He didn’t play for the first two days for last week either, but came back on Friday and played in the game. Even though the Eagles took away the “resting player” part of Slay’s illness report from last week,
The Eagles have some young players who could go if Slay can’t. They are Josh Jobe, Kelee Ringo, and Eli Ricks. The Seahawks have three great receivers: D.K. Metcalf, Tyler Lockett, as well as Jaxon Smith-Njigba. Without Slay, the game would be tough.
Shaq Leonard, who just joined the Eagles, will likely play a lot greater in his second game if Cunningham can’t.
Against the Cowboys, Leonard got some playing time with Cunningham, Nicholas Morrow, and Cunningham for 14 snaps.
Reed Blankenship (concussion) was allowed to practice for the second day in a row, which was the other injury report from Friday.
While the Eagles got ready to play in Seattle on Monday night, where it might rain, they were also getting their return guys ready.
The second quarter of the game against the Cowboys gave Blankenship a concussion. With an extra day prior to Monday Night Football, he might be able to clear the NFL’s concussion procedure.
A water bottle was sprayed into the air in front of Britain Covey and the other returners as they caught punts.
Moorehead is the receiving coach. This is something the Eagles have done a lot this season; they play in the rain a lot.
The second-year blocker got hurt in the Eagles’ 33-13 loss to the Dallas Cowboys. Rookie guard Tyler Steen filled in for a short time. Jurgens finished the match with only two plays missed.
Surge guard Sua Opeta took over for Jurgens during the early part of individual practice open to the media. Last Sunday, Steen was the player of choice.
Opeta hasn’t played in three of the Eagles’ last four games, but he was the first choice to replace Jurgens when he got hurt his foot earlier this year and had to go on injured reserve.
He started four games this season in place of Jurgens, but hurt his hip in Week 8 against the Commanders of Washington as well as was replaced through Steen the next week against the Cowboys of Dallas, even though he was healthy enough to play.
The Jets’ cornerback D.J. Reed will not play in their next game because he has a concussion.
The Jets were hopeful that he could play again on Sunday, but Reed didn’t practice on Friday because he was hurt Thursday and couldn’t do much. It’s likely that Bryce Hall will fill in for Reed again.
Coach Robert Saleh thought that Sauce Gardner, another cornerback, would be able to play even though he missed practice in Friday because he was sick and was listed as doubtful.
Brandin Echols, a backup safety, and Justin Hardee, a star on special teams, were both hurt and couldn’t play.
A late-week injury to rookie wide receiver as well as kick returner Xavier Gipson made it hard for him to play.
Mecole Hardman, who didn’t play last week in Denver because he was healthy, could come in if Gipson doesn’t play.