The Eagles are down to just three cornerbacks on the active roster after Trevor Williams was ruled out for Sunday.
That leaves Cre’Von LeBlanc and Nickell Robey-Coleman as the only two options to start opposite Darius Slay. Remember, Avonte Maddox (ankle) went down last week in the third quarter and never returned to action. The Eagles have one minor move they could make if they wanted to call up undrafted rookie Michael Jacquet from the practice squad. Throwing an untested first-year player into the fire doesn’t seem wise.
Wait, what about Jalen Mills? The starting corner from the Super Bowl team was coy with reporters on Thursday about jumping back to his old position. Mills has been making the transition to safety this year, an experiment that seems to be going “pretty well.”
“Can’t tell you who’s out there right now, but we got guys out there competing and it’s a possibility,” Mills said about him playing corner. “I think right now Coach Schwartz and Coach M [Maruand Manuel] really feel good at me with the position I’m at now and we’ll just leave it up to coach with any decision that he makes. We’ve been here before with injuries and things, and it’s always the next man up mentality.”
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’34 Always Ready When His Number’s Called’
The Eagles could go in another direction at cornerback and slide LeBlanc over to the outside. He has been primarily playing the slot role in his first 2 1/2 years in Philly but has taken snaps as the boundary guy. In fact, LeBlanc smiled brightly at reporters when asked about stepping in at the spot this weekend.
“Thirty-four always ready when his number’s called,” LeBlanc said on Friday. “And whether that’s inside or outside, I’m ready to work. Just knowing that the sky’s the limit for me. Nobody else can put that bottle cap on how far my wings can spread.”
“34 always ready when his number’s called.” Cre’Von LeBlanc’s answer when asked if he could play the outside CB spot. He’s willing to do whatever it takes, slot or outside, to win on Sunday. #Eagles #FlyEaglesFly
Defensive coordinator Jim Schwartz wouldn’t “tip his hand” earlier in the week. He didn’t rule out throwing Mills back there, though.
“Obviously Jalen’s played that position before. We value flexible guys in the back end, guys that can play multiple positions,” Schwartz said. “We’re going to keep our cards a little close to our vest of how we’re going to cover up some of our packages and how we’re going to play personnel.”
DeSean Jackson, Alshon Jeffery Ruled Out
The Eagles are extremely banged up at wide receiver, too. DeSean Jackson (hamstring) and Alshon Jeffery (foot) were officially ruled out for Sunday, while J.J. Arcega-Whiteside (calf) remains doubtful on the final injury report. John Hightower (illness) was a full participant at Friday’s practice and sounds ready to go.
“I’m feeling good and still preparing every day like I usually do,” Hightower said. “I’ve learned it’s a long game, so you just have to take advantage of every opportunity you get.”
That leaves Hightower and Greg Ward as the only two locks to suit up against San Francisco. The team is likely to activate Deontay Burnett from the practice squad, along with either Travis Fulgham or Marcus Green. Zach Ertz and Richard Rodgers should be the starting tight ends, with newcomer Hakeen Butler not yet up to speed.
Jason Peters’ Mysterious Foot Injury
Meanwhile, left tackle Jason Peters mysteriously showed up on Friday’s injury report with a foot injury and was listed questionable. The 38-year-old had missed back-to-back sessions on Wednesday and Thursday due to an illness but the lower-body issue is new. Peters did miss two snaps last week because he was feeling fatigued.
Doug Pederson on the #Eagles injuries:
Dallas Goedert (lower body) – will miss some time
Avonte Maddox (lower body) – will miss time
Jason Peters – will be okay, it was fatigue that set in
DeSean Jackson (lower body) – will be day to day, opptomistic for the game this week
Both guard Jamon Brown (illness) and tackle Jack Driscoll (illness) were full participants at Friday’s practice and could see extended action if Peters can’t go. The smart money would be on Driscoll to slide in at left tackle, with Brown backing up Matt Pryor at right guard. Right tackle Lane Johnson (ankle) was a limited participant Friday but is good to go.
“The guys actually really settled in this past weekend, did a nice job in the game,” Pederson said about his offensive line, “and so there’s no need to really shift too many guys around.”
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Eagles Injury Report: Starting CB Ruled Out, Super Bowl Starter On Move?