Eagles-Bengals Final Injury Report: Tee Higgins suddenly questionable to play [UPDATE]
The Philadelphia Eagles issued their third and final official injury report on Friday in advance of their Week 8 road game against the Cincinnati Bengals.
The Eagles ruled three players OUT: Dallas Goedert, Mekhi Becton, and Byron Young.
Goedert is missing his second straight game. By not placing him on injured reserve last week, the Eagles seem to hope he’ll be back by Week 10 at the latest. With Goedert out, the Eagles will have Grant Calcaterra and Jack Stoll as their top two tight ends. We’ll see if they either activate Albert Okwuegbunam from injured reserve … or temporarily elevate E.J. Jenkins or C.J. Uzomah from the practice squad … to have a third tight end for Sunday’s game. The Eagles only went with two last weekend.
Becton did not practice this week while in the concussion protocol. He might be able to return in Week 9. Tyler Steen will start at right guard in his absence. Jack Driscoll, who was recently promoted from the practice squad, might be the current top backup at every non-center offensive line position. If there’s an injury to Cam Jurgens, the Eagles might opt to move Landon Dickerson to the pivot and put Driscoll in at left guard. Driscoll has seemingly leapfrogged Nick Gates on the depth chart.
Young, who was a healthy scratch all season prior to somehow getting hurt in practice last week, could be placed on injured reserve to open up a roster spot. Barring multiple defensive tackle injuries, Young could be stashed away on IR for the rest of the season. The Eagles have until 4:00 PM Eastern on Saturday, October 26 to make roster moves ahead of Sunday’s game. [UPDATE: The Eagles officially placed Young on injured reserve, as expected.]
Zack Baun was notably full go for the second day in a row and listed without a game status.
Eli Ricks was full go on Friday after being limited on Wednesday and Thursday. He’s listed without a game status. But he might be a healthy scratch anyway as a seventh cornerback who doesn’t play on special teams.
(Latest odds via FanDuel)
OUT
OG Mekhi Becton (concussion)
TE Dallas Goedert (hamstring)
DT Byron Young (hamstring)
…
RESERVE/INJURED
DB James Bradberry IV
OT Le’Raven Clark
WR Britain Covey
OT Jordan Mailata
TE Albert Okwuegbunam Jr. (practice window activated)
WR Ainias Smith (practice window activated)
DT Byron Young
The Eagles opened Smith’s practice window on October 7. They must either activate him to the roster by October 28 or shut him down for the season. The Eagles opened Okwuegbunam’s practice window on October 16. The Eagles might want to activate him this week to have a third tight end behind Calcaterra and Stoll. Covey is eligible to be activated after Week 8 but he said his shoulder injury could take a little longer than that to heal. Mailata is eligible to be activated after Week 10. Bradberry is eligible to have his practice window opened if/when the Eagles choose to do so. Young is eligible to be activated after Week 11. Clark is out for the season since he was placed on IR back in May.
CINCINNATI BENGALS INJURY REPORT (FRIDAY)
The Bengals unexpectedly added starting wide receiver Tee Higgins to Friday’s injury report. He’s listed as questionable after suffering a quad injury in practice. If he can’t play, the Eagles can obviously dedicate more attention to stopping Ja’Marr Chase.
Starting left tackle Orlando Brown and starting safety Geno Stone will both play despite being less than 100%. We’ll see if they’re able to make it through Sunday’s game.
QUESTIONABLE
WR Tee Higgins (quad)
…
RESERVE/INJURED
OT Trent Brown
RB Chris Evans
CB Dax Hill
OG Jaxson Kirkland
CB Lance Robinson
DE Cam Sample
OT D’Ante Smith
Starting cornerback Dax Hill and backup tackles Trent Brown and Jaxson Kirkland are notably on IR.