The Philadelphia Eagles enter the NFC Wild Card Round with several starters in question. Jalen Hurts, Cam Jurgens, and A.J. Brown all suffered injuries in Week 18. DeVonta Smith sat out the brutal loss against the New York Giants in Week 18. Nick Sirianni is desperate for a playoff victory. He hopes to have a healthy lineup against the Tampa Bay Buccaneers.
Eagles Facing Adversity
The Eagles are reeling badly. They lost five of their final six games to finish the 2023 regular season. The fan base has no optimism heading into the playoffs just one month after the team sat at 10-1 in sole possession of the best record in the NFL.
Nobody can confidently say the Eagles have any momentum heading into the playoffs. They lost consecutive games to finish the regular season against opponents in the bottom tier of the NFL with nothing to play for. The Eagles struggled with the same weaknesses throughout the 2023 season, and their recent opponents have exposed their flaws brutally.
Philadelphia Eagles NFC Wild Card Round Starters
Darius Slay will likely return after missing the final four games of the regular season after arthroscopic knee surgery. Kelee Ringo and Eli Ricks will still rotate into the defensive backfield after filling in for Slay the past four games. Sydney Brown is unavailable after a serious injury in Week 18.
DeVonta Smith is nursing an ankle injury suffered in the fourth quarter against the Cardinals in Week 17. D’Andre Swift also sat out the loss against the Giants. Both should also return against the Buccaneers.
Cam Jurgens suffered an eye injury against the Giants. His status is still in question. All eyes will turn to A.J. Brown. Assuming Jalen Hurts plays through a dislocated finger, Brown’s status will be the most impactful is the most significant of any injury news.
Jalen Hurts
Photo by Mitchell Leff/Getty ImagesQuarterback, #1
Oklahoma University/University of Alabama
4th NFL Season- Drafted in 2nd Round (53rd overall) in 2020D'Andre Swift
Photo by Dustin Satloff/Getty ImagesRunning Back, #0
University of Georgia
4th NFL season- Acquired in a trade from Detroit Lions (April 2023)DeVonta Smith
Photo by Scott Taetsch/Getty ImagesWide Receiver, #6
University of Alabama
3rd NFL Season- Drafted in 1st Round (10th overall) in 2021Julio Jones
Photo by Mitchell Leff/Getty ImagesWide Receiver, #80
University of Alabama
13th NFL Season, Signed in Free Agency (October 2023)Quez Watkins
Photo by Scott Taetsch/Getty ImagesWide Receiver, #16
Southern Miss
4th NFL Season- Drafted in 6th Round (200th overall) in 2020Dallas Goedert
Photo by Mitchell Leff/Getty ImagesTight End, #88
South Dakota St.
6th NFL Season- Drafted in 2nd Round (48th overall) in 2018Jordan Mailata
Photo by Mitchell Leff/Getty ImagesLeft Tackle, #68
Jeff Stoutland University
6th NFL Season- Drafted in 7th Round (233rd overall) in 2018Landon Dickerson
Photo by Mitchell Leff/Getty ImagesLeft Guard, #69
University of Alabama
3rd NFL Season- Drafted in 2nd Round (37th overall) in 2021Jason Kelce
Photo by Sarah Stier/Getty ImagesCenter, #62
University of Cincinnati
13th NFL Season- Drafted in 6th Round (191st overall) in 2011Cam Jurgens
Photo by Mitchell Leff/Getty ImagesRight Guard, #51
University of Nebraska
2nd NFL Season- Drafted in 2nd Round (51st overall) in 2022Lane Johnson
Photo by Tim Nwachukwu/Getty ImagesLeft Tackle, #69
Oklahoma University
11th NFL Season- Drafted in 1st Round (4th overall) in 2013Josh Sweat
Photo by Mitchell Leff/Getty ImagesDefensive End, #94
Florida State
6th NFL Season- Drafted in 4th Round (130th overall) in 2018Fletcher Cox
Photo by Abbie Parr/Getty ImagesDefensive Tackle, #91
Mississippi State
12th NFL Season- Drafted in 1st Round (12th overall) in 2012Jordan Davis
Photo by Norm Hall/Getty ImagesDefensive Tackle, #90
University of Georgia
2nd NFL Season- Drafted in 1st Round (13th overall) in 2022Haason Reddick
Photo by Tim Nwachukwu/Getty ImagesEdge Rusher/Linebacker, #7
Temple University
7th NFL Season- Signed in Free Agency (March 2022)Zach Cunningham
Photo by Adam Glanzman/Getty ImagesLinebacker, #52
Vanderbilt University
7th NFL Season- Signed in Free Agency (August 2023)Shaquille Leonard
Photo by Adam Hunger/Getty ImagesLinebacker, #50
South Carolina St.
6th NFL Season, Signed in Free Agency (December 2023)Darius Slay
Photo by Tim Nwachukwu/Getty ImagesCornerback, #2
Mississippi State
11th NFL Season- Acquired in trade from Detroit Lions (March 2020)James Bradberry
Photo by Tim Nwachukwu/Getty ImagesCornerback, #24
University of Arkansas/Samford University
8th NFL Season- Signed in Free Agency (May 2022)Avonte Maddox
Photo by Tim Nwachukwu/Getty ImagesCornerback, #29
University of Pittsburgh
Drafted in 4th Round (125th overall) in 2018Kevin Byard
Photo by Mitchell Leff/Getty ImagesSafety, #31
Middle Tennessee State
8th NFL Season, Acquired in trade from Tennessee Titans (October 2023)Reed Blankenship
Photo by Mitchell Leff/Getty ImagesSafety, #32
Middle Tennessee State
2nd NFL Season- Signed as Undrafted Free Agent (May 2022)
