Eagles' Injury Analysis: Banged-Up Offense Faces Tough Test vs. Jaguars

PHILADELPHIA — The Eagles leave for London Friday night for Sunday’s Week 5 game against the Jacksonville Jaguars without arguably their two best offensive players.

Friday’s final injury report made the absences of running back Saquon Barkley and receiver DeVonta Smith, who are both dealing with hamstring injuries.

Barkley missed every practice this week after being limited to four snaps in last week’s loss to the Los Angeles Rams. The RB1’s absence is further amplified by backup Tank Bigsby’s core muscle surgery forcing a stint on injured reserve.

To deal with that, the Eagles promoted Dameon Pierce from the practice squad earlier in the week, and made the same decision with Carson Steele on Friday.

Pierce and Steele provide support for Will Shipley with Pierce likely serving as the main complement to Shipley on offense, and Steele helping to handle some of Shipley’s typical work on special teams.

Breaking down Eagles' injury impact on Week 5

Smith was ruled out for a second consecutive game. There is some good news with Dontayvion Wicks practicing Friday and not being given a game status despite failing to finish Thursday’s practice with his own hamstring issue. That likely means the WRs in 11 personnel will again be Wicks, Makai Lemon, and Darius Cooper, although it’s conceivable Wicks’ workload will be lessened.

The other major issue is center Drew Kendall, who was unable to practice this week with a knee injury and officially ruled out Friday. Jake Majors, was promoted from the practice squad Friday, and is expected to handle the pivot against the Jags.

A natural center, Majors started a program record 56 games at the University of Texas, all of them at OC. The line from left to right is set to be Jordan Mailata, Willie Lampkin, Majors, Tyler Steen and Markel Bell. If that holds it will be the first NFL starts for Lampkin and Majors and just the second for Bell, the rookie third-round pick tasked with replacing Lane Johnson.

That complicates matters for quarterback Jalen Hurts, who popped up on the practice report with a calf injury, although the QB1 was a full participant and given no game status. It’s fair to question whether Hurts will have his typical mobility in game where he will need it, however.

WR Hollywood Brown (ankle) and safety Marcus Epps (groin) are also ruled out for the Eagles.

Edge defender Jonathan Greenard was unable to practice this week with an ankle injury but was listed as questionable, an indication the veteran will make the trip to London with the idea of being a game-time decision.

Reinforcements

There was better news elsewhere. Tight end Dallas Goedert (knee) is off the report after missing the last two games and is available, which should help offensive coordinator Sean Mannion better vary his personnel groupings.

Also, linebackers Zack Baun (concussion) and Jihaad Campbell (knee), cornerback Quinyon Mitchell (knee), offensive tackle Fred Johnson (knee) and tight end E.J. Jenkins (toe) are all cleared to play.

Philadelphia’s offense is already in a slide. Hurts completed 12 of 27 passes for 93 yards and took four sacks against the Rams, and he has averaged 4.7 yards per attempt since Week 3.

Sunday’s plan now runs through Shipley and Pierce on early downs, Goedert as the reliable target, and a patchwork line that lost Johnson to retirement and Cam Jurgens in a trade to Baltimore earlier this week.

The Jaguars are one of the better run defenses in the league, so the short-yardage and play-action game will be under stress.

Defensively, Baun and Mitchell have been the two best defenders this season so that bolsters things while Epps would likely be losing playing time to Michael Carter is he was healthy.

Having Greenard on the edge is key because Jalyx Hunt and Nolan Smith have failed to generate consistent pressure.

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