Zach Ertz Returns, Darius Slay will Play, and so Might Jordan Howard

Listed as questionable on Friday with a calf injury, Eagles cornerback Darius Slay will play against the Green Bay Packers on Sunday.

It’s a good thing, too, since the Packers have Davante Adams that will need to be defended and Slay is the team’s most dependable cover corner. Slay said last week he played the worst game of his career against Seattle’s D.K. Metcalf, who caught 10 passes for 177 yards in his one-on-one matchup against him.

Slay is more familiar with Adams having played against him twice a year in the NFC North after Adams entered the league in 2014 when Slay was with the Detroit Lions.

Speaking of Metcalf, the receiver drafted before him by the Eagles, J.J Arcega-Whiteside, is inactive for Sunday’s game.

JJAW was on the Reserve/COVID-19 list the past two weeks. He was activated earlier in the week but is still unable to get on the field.

Tight end Zach Ertz will also return to the lineup after missing the previous five games with a high ankle sprain.

Ertz should bolster the lineup, allowing him to team with fellow tight end Dallas Goedert for the first time since Week 3 when Goedert broke an ankle that cost him four games.

“If Zach is able to go, I think you got to be smart with him, just like we have with guys that have returned to play a little bit, especially guys that are in these skill spots that are running a ton and can become fatigued throughout the game,” head coach Doug Pederson said on Friday.

“We got to be smart with him, but I think he gives obviously a boost to the passing game. He's obviously a target of Carson (Wentz) and something that we have had success with that. But, yeah, we'll take it slow with him, but it will be a nice lift to get him back out there.”

Running back Jordan Howard could also make his 2020 debut with the Eagles after being elevated from the practice squad on Saturday.

In addition to Arcega-Whiteside, the Eagles also made inactive for Sunday quarterback Nate Sudfeld, running back Jason Huntley, safety Rudy Ford, defensive end Genard Avery, and receiver Quez Watkins.

Watkins did not make the trip to Green Bay due to an illness.

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