Eagles Elevate Two Veteran Players For Divisional Round Vs. Rams

PHILADELPHIA - Five days after returning to the organization, the Eagles elevated veteran linebacker Nick Morrow for Sunday's Divisional Round playoff game against the Los Angeles Rams.

Morrow, who started 12 games for the Eagles in the 2023 season, was signed to the practice squad after Philadelphia lost Nakobe Dean to a season-ending knee injury during last Sunday's 22-10 Wild Card Weekend win over Green Bay.

Dean suffered a torn patellar tendon in his left knee during the second quarter against the Packers and was replaced by veteran LB3 Oren Burks with All-Pro Zack Baun taking over Dean’s role as the “green dot” and vocal leader of Vic Fangio’s defense.

Morrow joined undrafted rookie Dallas Gant on the PS as the supplement to Baun, Burks, and rookie Jeremiah Trotter Jr. on the 53-man roster.

Fangio didn’t rule out splitting reps with Burks and Trotter Jr. in place of Dean against the Rams.

“It could be,” Fangio said when asked if it might be a mix of both players.

On Burks, Fangio noted that the veteran “is a good athlete, can run, he’s got experience playing. Good tackler as we saw on the opening kickoff. We like him.”

As for Trotter, Jr, one of the team’s fifth-round picks back in April, Fangio said that the rookie has “got a good future, and that future may be now. He’s got good instincts, really likes the game. He’s smart, he’s got a lot of good qualities.”

When asked why he was mulling a rotation to replace Dean, Fangio pointed to special teams and situations.

“Part if it is those two guys are on all special teams, so depending on the flow of the game,” the DC said. “Kind of like when Nakobe didn’t play against Dallas, I guess it was, they had a seven- or eight-play drive then we had a pick-six, then they got the ball right back and drove it for a nine-play drive and we went three and out, so we had a bunch of plays right in a row there in a short span.

“So something like that might be a good time to sub them.”

One rule Fangio implemented in practice when Dean and Baun were the starters was that Burks and Trotter Jr. got reps with each starter in practice and not together because "that's not how it would play out in a game." So Burks and Trotter Jr. have played with Baun in practice this year and both got work with the All-Pro in Week 17 against Dallas when Dean was out with an abdomen injury.

As for Morrow, he offers experience as an eighth-year player with 58 NFL starts. Last season Morrow had 95 tackles, three sacks, five passes defended, a forced fumble, two fumble recoveries, and a safety for the Eagles.

He spent this season with Buffalo, mainly helping the Bills on special teams with 182 snaps in 11 games before being released earlier this month.

An added role on defense for Burks could mean less work on special teams and that's where Morrow should fit in against the Rams.

The Eagles also elevated Khari Blasingame again. The veteran fullback played two snaps on offense and 10 more on special teams against the Packers in the WC game.

As for Burks, he was also fined $8,333 by the NFL on Saturday for his tone-setting hit on the opening kickoff that forced a fumble by Packers' return specialist Keisean Nixon and set Philadelphia up for an early 7-0 lead that the Eagles never relinquished. Upon further review, Burks' hit was ruled unnecessary roughness for use of his helmet.

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