No Surprises Among Eagles Inactives; Jalen Mills Expected to Return to CB vs. 49ers

Injuries will force Mills to surrender his post at safety and return to the position he played in his first four seasons in the league

The surprise isn’t so much in the seven Eagles who were ruled inactive for Sunday night’s game, it is who will play cornerback Darius Slay.

It’s probably not even that big of a surprise that Jalen Mills will return to cornerback and start opposite Darius Slay in Sunday night’s game against the San Francisco 49ers.

Mills played corner for four years then was moved to safety, where he started the first three games of the season. He is being moved back to his natural position due to injuries that have sidelined Avonte Maddox and his backup, Trevor Williams.

The surprise would be if the Eagles find a way to beat the defending NFC champion on their home field.

With Mills moving back to cornerback, the Eagles plan on starting Marcus Epps. It will be Epps’ first career start. He has played in 18 games during his career, which began in Minnesota before coming to Philadelphia halfway through last season.

Let’s have some fun tonight.#PHIvsSF | #FlyEaglesFly https://t.co/Xwvq4TP9Jv

— Philadelphia Eagles (@Eagles) October 4, 2020

Mills was asked earlier in the week if he would be the one moved to corner to make up for the injured Maddox and Williams, and he said that he believed the coaches were happy with him at safety.

The team is really out of choices, though, unless they wanted to put either Nickell Robey-Coleman or Cre’Von LeBlanc outside but both are more comfortable playing in the slot.

Mills was then asked how his transition to safety was coming along.

“It’s going well,” he said. “I’m the type of guy though that, especially with our record, as soon as the game is over, I’m ready to go to sleep and hope Sundays back. Any errors or things I made or us as a team we can just kind of get them out of our system. … I’m taking coaching from everybody. It doesn’t matter who it is and just trying to keep going.”

The Eagles needed to make five practice squad moves to fill out their roster on Saturday when Williams and left tackle Jason Peters were placed on Injured Reserve, which means they will miss at least three weeks.

The team added receivers Deontay Burnett and Travis Fulgham, running back Adrian Killins, center Luke Juriga, and DB Grayland Arnold.

Prior to Sunday’s game, they inactivated quarterback Nate Sudeld, receivers DeSean Jackson, Alshon Jeffery, and J.J. Arcega-Whiteside, Maddox, defensive end Casey Toohill, and tight end Hakeem Butler.

Sudfeld will sit for the third consecutive week in place of rookie QB Jalen Hurts.

Arcega-Whiteside was listed as doubtful on Friday with a calf injury.

Jackson, Jeffery, and Maddox were ruled out on Friday.

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