Eagles Injury Update: JJ Arcega-Whiteside added to injury report, Nelson Agholor among 3 to sit out practice

JJ Arcega-Whiteside added to the injury report, Nelson Agholor among 3 to sit out practice

The Philadelphia Eagles released their injury report on Thursday and rookie wideout JJ Arcega-Whiteside popped up with a foot injury.

Nelson Agholor (knee), Derek Barnett (foot) and Lane Johnson (ankle) were out of practice for the third day in a row. Brandon Brooks, Fletcher Cox, Ronald Darby, and Jordan Howard were also listed as limited participants for the second day in a row.

With Arcega-Whiteside ailing, the Eagles could look to add Marken Michel or another wide receiver to the active roster.

Doug Pederson gives insight into why the Eagles are only playing with 3 active WR’s against Redskins

Eagles likely to only have 3 WR’s active for game vs. Redskins

The Philadelphia Eagles have a difficult decision when it comes to shaping their 53 man roster on a weekly basis. Injuries and attrition have left the Birds vulnerable at almost every position.

Against the Giants on Monday night football, Doug Pederson made the decision to only carry three wide receivers on the active roster, choosing to promote tight end, Josh Perkins, instead.

The decision left some analysts and pundits perplexed and it almost cost the Eagles after Alshon Jeffery was forced to leave the game with a Lisfranc injury.

With Nelson Agholor already inactive, the Eagles were left with Greg Ward and JJ Arcega-Whiteside as the teams only healthy receivers.

Had one of those players been forced to leave the contest, backup quarterback and all-around athlete, Josh McCown, would have entered the game at wide receiver.

With the Eagles playing for their playoff lives on Sunday, Pederson appears prepared to enter the contest with three receivers again, this time replacing the injured Alshon Jeffery with practice squad wideout, Robert Davis.

Pederson gave some insight into his decision per Jeff Skversky of 6 ABC.

“I look at it as nine bodies, with tight ends, runners and receivers, so we have everything covered that way,” Pederson said. “We have a plan to the plan to the plan to the plan if we lose a guy during the course of the game. It’s where we are right now as a team, as an offense.”

With seven cornerbacks and seven defensive ends, Pederson could have chosen to add another wide receiver that way, sitting one of his underused defensive players.

Instead, Pederson will look to make up for his deficiencies on the outside with star power and versatility at other spots.

Miles Sanders and Boston Scott provide a dynamic duo at running back, while tight end Zach Ertz, Dallas Goedert, and Perkins provide a matchup nightmare for the Redskins, who’ll likely double the Eagles Pro Bowler in Ertz.

Eagles’ DC Jim Schwartz has high-praise for Redskins rookie WR Terry McLaurin

Jim Schwartz has high-praise for Redskins rookie WR Terry McLaurin

When the Philadelphia Eagles visit the Washington Redskins on Sunday, they’ll have a closeup view of what could have been. During the 2019 NFL Draft, the Philadelphia Eagles selected JJ Arcega-Whiteside with the 57th pick in the 2nd round.

So far on the season, Arcega-Whiteside has 8 catches for 130 yards and one touchdown. He’s slow ascension isn’t bust worthy, but it’s concerning considering how the wide receivers drafted after him have performed this season.

Seattle took DK Metcalf with pick No. 64, and he’s accumulated 50 catches, 783 yards, and five touchdowns.

Pittsburgh took Toledo’s Diontae Johnson at No. 66 and he’s accumulated 42 catches for 483 yards and four touchdowns.

The player the Eagles will deal with in Week 15 has done the most damage thus far out of all the rookies. Terry McLaurin was selected with pick No. 76 out of Ohio State, and he’s racked up 46 catches for 703 yards and 6 touchdowns.

Against the Eagles in the season opener, McLaurin torched the Eagles for 5 catches on 125 yards and a TD, including a 70-yard bomb. With the Eagles having to win out, the focus of Philadelphia’s defense will, in fact, be the star wide receiver.

Eagles defensive coordinator Jim Schwartz addressed the media on Wednesday, and he spoke about what impresses him the most about McLaurin.

“He’s a guy that can make a big play … he’s proven that he’s a good player in this league.”

McLaurin leads the team in receptions, yards, and TD receptions and on Sunday it’ll be hard not to say what if and daydream about what could have been in regards to Wentz chucking bombs to the former Ohio State star.

Instead, it’ll be up to Jim Schwartz to put his cornerbacks in position to not be embarrassed by the youngster on Sunday.

3 takeaways from news that Alshon Jeffery is out for season with foot injury

4 takeaways from the news that Alshon Jeffery is out for the season with a foot injury

The Philadelphia Eagles will have to make a push for the playoffs without their best receiver, as Alshon Jeffery will miss the remainder of the season with a foot injury Mike Garafolo reported.

Jeffery was carted off on Monday night during the second quarter of the Eagles overtime win over the New York Giants.

On the play, Jeffery came up limping on a non-contact situation and was immediately carted off to the locker room. On Tuesday morning, Doug Pederson provided an update on Jeffery, calling his injury “significant.”

With Jeffery out for the Eagles final three preseason games and maybe longer, here are four takeaways from the news:

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1. Jeffery battled injuries all season

First, it was the calf, then the ankle and on a non-contact play, Alshon Jeffery’s season ended with a foot injury. Jeffery amassed 43 catches for 490 yards and four receiving touchdowns and was just starting to come on after a solid performance against the Miami Dolphins.

Doug Pederson provided an update on Jalen Mills, Eagles WR situation

Doug Pederson provided an update on Jalen Mills, Eagles WR situation

Doug Pederson provided an update on the Eagles situation at wide receiver after he revealed that Alshon Jeffery suffered a significant foot injury on Monday night.

The Eagles now only have J.J. Arcega-Whiteside, Greg Ward, and Nelson Agholor (knee) available and healthy.

Agholor just missed another game, so that makes two healthy wideouts.

Eagles WR Situation:

Hurt – DeSean Jackson (IR)
Hurt – Alshon Jeffery
Hurt – Nelson Agholor
Cut – Mack Hollins
Cut – Jordan Matthews
Rookie – JJ Arcega-Whiteside
Rookie – Greg Ward

The Eagles practice squad options are Robert Davis, Marken Michel, and Marcus Green.

As for Jalen Mills, he’s day to day with an injured elbow and is expected to play Sunday against Washington while wearing a brace.

Rookie running back Miles Sanders and wide receiver J.J. Arcega-Whiteside left the briefly, but both players should be good for Sunday.

Eagles Lane Johnson, Alshon Jeffery ruled out for 2nd half vs. Giants

Lane Johnson, Alshon Jeffery both ruled out for 2nd half vs. Giants

If the Eagles are going to make a second-half comeback at home against the New York Giants, they’ll have to do it without both Alshon Jeffery and Lane Johnson.

The two Eagles stars were both ruled out for the rest of the game with lower-body injuries.

Jeffery left the contest in the second quarter and was carted off after limping off when he came down wrong while running a play.

Johnson was also carted off in the second quarter after Carson Wentz rolled up on his leg after being sacked on a third down play.

Watch: Eagles’ WR JJ Arcega-Whiteside hauls in his first career TD on pass from Carson Wentz

JJ Arcega-Whiteside hauls in his first career TD on a pass from Carson Wentz

JJ Arcega-Whiteside is officially on the board, racking up his first receiving touchdown as a member of the Philadelphia Eagles. The rookie started on the outside against Miami and proved worthy, hauling this beautiful dime from Carson Wentz.

Arcega-Whiteside scored with 6 seconds left in the first half and afterward, quarterback Carson Wentz tossed the two-point conversion to wide receiver Nelson Agholor to give the Eagles a 21-14 halftime lead over the Dolphins at Hard Rock Stadium.

For the Eagles, Carson Wentz has completed 15-of-25 attempts for 148 yards, 2 touchdowns (both on third downs), 0 INTs and a 103.4 passer rating in the first half vs. Miami.

Greg Ward to have an increased role in Eagles’ offense moving forward

Greg Ward to have an increased role in Eagles’ offense moving forward

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The Philadelphia Eagles will need to find out if Greg Ward can be successful running another route besides an out-pattern, but the former college quarterback has definitely earned an increased role moving forward.

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On Wednesday, head coach, Doug Pederson confirmed as much while addressing the media.

Ward has been a mainstay on the Eagles practice squad for a couple of years now, and after this latest call up to the active roster, he made the most of his opportunities. Ward caught six passes for 40 yards on seven targets and eclipsed JJ Arcega-Whitesides season totals in the first half of the Eagles loss to Seattle.

His quickness and shiftiness in the slot should provide Carson Wentz with another valuable weapon moving forward.

JJ Arcega-Whiteside to start at WR opposite of Alshon Jeffery

JJ Arcega-Whiteside to start at WR opposite of Alshon Jeffery

The JJ Arcega-Whiteside has officially gotten underway in Philadelphia, as head coach Doug Pederson confirmed that the rookie out of Stanford will be the wide receiver opposite of Alshon Jeffery on the outside.

Arcega-Whiteside has seen his targets increase over the past two weeks and with Jordan Matthews no longer on the roster, it’s his time to produce.

Arcega-Whiteside was target five times in the team’s Week 12 loss to Seattle, hauling in two of his five targets for 43 yards.

4 takeaways from the Eagles waiving WR Jordan Matthews

4 takeaways from the Philadelphia Eagles waiving Jordan Matthews

The Philadelphia Eagles waived wide receiver Jordan Matthews on Monday afternoon after he re-signed with the team back on November 11.

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Since returning to Philadelphia, Matthews played in two games logging 137 total snaps and accounting for 33 yards on four receptions catches.

With Philadelphia once again moving on from Matthews, here are four takeaways from the move.

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1. Something’s going on with the front office

Either Howie Roseman isn’t happy with Doug Pederson’s coaching style or he just decides to make the day after an Eagles loss “Black Monday.” How else can you explain the Eagles cutting or releasing Zach Brown, Orlando Scandrick, Akeem Spence, Andrew Sendejo and now Matthews the day after bad losses?

Something’s going on inside the NovaCare Complex?