Eagles Will Keep QBs Apart as COVID-19 Outbreak Reaches Doorstep
PHILADELPHIA - Like every NFL team, the Eagles have been hit by the recent uptick in COVID-19 positives around the country.
To date, however, Philadelphia has been a trickle compared to many NFL teams, but a victory Monday was spoiled a bit by the faucet turning on when it comes to the virus.
Four players were placed on the reserve COVID-19 list Monday afternoon, including starting defensive end Derek Barnett, rookie edge rusher Tarron Jackson, who played a career-high 36 snaps in a 34-10 win over the New York Giants Sunday, defensive back and special-teams standout Andre Chachere, and practice squad tight end Noah Togiai was also placed on the reserve/COVID-19 list.
The NFL had 96 players in total go on the list on Monday.
Head coach Nick Sirianni tested positive on Wednesday morning of last week but was cleared by Saturday and was able to coach Sunday's 34-10 win over the New York Giants.
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The Eagles also got back starting left guard Landon Dickerson after he missed one game but were without backup offensive linemen Andre Dillard and Le'Raven Clark against the Giants due to the virus, as well as linebacker and core special-teamer Shaun Bradley, and defensive end Ryan Kerrigan.
Currently, the Eagles have seven players on the reserve/COVID-19 list and Togiai on the PS version of the lift and it seems like the local outbreak has centered on the offensive line, defensive line, and core special teams group.
"We definitely did some different things that weren't mandated [by the NFL] a couple weeks ago and we're going to continue with that," Sirianni said Monday before it was revealed four new players were being placed in stasis for now. "We are talking through it even more so as a staff today."
Sirianni has also looked outside the NovaCare Complex for help as well.
"I talked to a couple other head coaches and tried to figure out what they're doing because we all know – to win this game this week, we're going to need all hands on deck," he said. "And so, what is the best course of action? And, obviously, we’re talking to our doctors and our trainers to figure out the best course of attack."
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The Eagles have won six of eight games after a difficult 2-5 start and are now in the driver's seat when it comes to one of the two final playoff spots in the NFC. If Philadelphia wins out over the final two games - at Washington and vs. Dallas on Jan. 9, the Eagles will make the postseason.
The game's most important position is at the forefront of Sirianni's mind.
The Eagles might not have Aaron Rodgers, Tom Brady, or Patrick Mahomes playing quarterback but it could be a heck of a lot worse than a developing Jalen Hurts and a top-tier backup like Gardner Minshew, something best highlighted by the signal-callers Philadelphia saw over the past week - Garrett Gilbert, Jake Fromm, and Mike Glennon - as well as the duo Ron Rivera of the WFT plans to tap into this week: Taylor Heinicke and Kyle Allen.
To finish the deal, the Eagles need Hurts under center or Minshew at the very least. To that end, the two QBs, along with third-string Reid Sinnett, may be feeling a little lonely this week.
"We're going to make some adjustments," Sirianni said. "I'm not there 100 percent, yet because I don't have to be quite yet with the players not being back yet, but we're going to definitely make even more adjustments than what we need to just to keep everybody safe."
By Wednesday, when all the players are back to work, the quarterbacks are going to be placed in different rooms for virtual position meetings whether they are discussing things with Sirianni, offensive coordinator Shane Steichen, passing game coordinator Kevin Patullo and QB coach Brian Johnson.
"The quarterbacks will be in separate rooms," Sirianni said. "We're going to be even more safe with them being in separate rooms."
-John McMullen contributes Eagles coverage for SI.com's EagleMaven and is the NFL Insider for JAKIB Media. You can listen to John, alongside legendary sports-talk host Jody McDonald every morning from 8-10 on ‘Birds 365,” streaming live on both PhillyVoice.com and YouTube. John is also the host of his own show "Extending the Play" on AM1490 in South Jersey. You can reach him at jmcmullen44@gmail.com or on Twitter @JFMcMullen
Ed Kracz is the publisher of SI.com’s Eagle Maven and co-host of the Eagles Unfiltered Podcast. Check out the latest Eagles news at www.SI.com/NFL/Eagles or www.eaglemaven.com and please follow him on Twitter: @kracze.
