Jalen Hurts Expected to Start vs. WFT; Dillard to COVID-19 List

The Eagles starting QB should be good to go when Eagles host Washington after missing one game with an ankle sprain

PHILADELPHIA - Not many Eagles fans were happy about waiting another two days to watch their favorite team play the COVID-19 hampered Washington Football Team but there was at least one positive aspect to the delay.

In the 48 hours between Friday and Monday afternoon, starting quarterback Jalen Hurts went from questionable, albeit while trending upward according to head coach Nick Sirianni, to a full go for Tuesday night's game.

Hurts, of course, missed the Dec. 5 win over the New York Jets with a high ankle sprain and was in at least some danger of missing a second consecutive contest despite a bye week before the originally scheduled Dec. 19 game against the WFT.

Backup Gardner Minshew, who excelled against the Jets, would have again started in Hurts was unable to answer the bell Sunday.

Now the Eagles' final injury report listed everyone on the active roster as healthy enough to play, a group which also includes running backs Miles Sanders (ankle) and Jordan Howard (knee). 

Sanders was forced to leave the previous two games early with his ankle injury while Howard missed the past two contests.

Receiver Quez Watkins is also set to play after being activated from the reserve/COVID-19 list on Sunday but the Eagles' will likely be down two offensive linemen after Landon Dickerson and Andre Dillard went on the COVID list on consecutive days.

Dillard was the latest to go on the list Monday and was serving as the team's swing tackle behind starters Jordan Mailata and Lane Johnson. The recently promoted, and extended Le'Raven Clark, is expected to take that role against the WFT.

Washington ruled out two key offensive playmakers in RB J.D. McKissic (concussion) and receiver Curtis Samuel (hamstring) and is still dealing with a reserve/COVID-19 list in the double digits that includes QBs Taylor Heinicke and Kyle Allen.

-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.