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Receiver help is on the way for the Eagles — in the form of a familiar face from the practice squad.
The team announced they had promoted preseason standout Greg Ward to the 53-man roster Saturday and put safety Rudy Ford on injured reserve. Ford has been dealing with an abdomen injury incurred last week against New England. The 25-year-old special teams player didn’t practice all week.
The speedy Ward gets a chance to make a name for himself and possibly jump-start the Eagles’ anemic passing game. He made six receptions for 87 yards in four preseason games, including a 38-yard touchdown grab against the Jaguars.
There is no guarantee the Eagles will make Ward active for Sunday’s game. They probably should considering their lack of depth at the receiver position. He was active in Week 3 when the Eagles hosted the Lions and only saw two total snaps. Ward was one of three fleet-footed wide receivers stashed on the practice squad, along with Marcus Green and Robert Davis.
If Ward’s number is called, he’ll be ready. He prepares the same way week in and week out, practice squad or active roster.
“Honestly, I stay ready every week because you never know. I’m just staying ready,” Ward said in Week 3, via NBC Sports Philadelphia. “Whenever my name is called, it’s called. If it’s not this week, if it’s not next week, I’m still going to prepare like I’m playing every single week. It doesn’t really matter to me.”
Ward Could Stretch the Field for Eagles Struggling Offense
Greg Ward is a guy who serves as a multiple threat due to his ability to throw and run the ball. He flashed it for the Eagles in the preseason when he took an end-around and ran it 15 yards for a first down. He also put his arm on display against Jacksonville when he took a flea-flicker and launched it deep. It fell incomplete but clearly showed how valuable he could be on trick plays.
The former undrafted free agent ran a 4.49 in the 40-yard dash and was receiving Heisman Trophy consideration coming out college. Ward threw for 3,557 yards and 22 touchdowns as a senior at the University of Houston while rushing for 518 yards and 10 scores. He led the Cougars to a 9-0 record out of the gates and a No. 16 ranking in the national polls.
Eagles Cut Ward after Training Camp, Added WR to Practice Squad
It seems like Greg Ward has been in Philadelphia forever and he has been with the organization for three seasons now. But the speedy receiver — listed at 5-foot-11, 190 pounds — keeps missing the final roster.
Despite a pretty good preseason, the Eagles chose to part ways after the initial roster cutdown and then brought him back to their practice squad when no other team claimed him off waivers. Ward beat out Mack Hollins in the preseason but GM Howie Roseman decided to keep Hollins instead due to his contributions on special teams.
“Greg’s done a tremendous job and really I don’t have an answer what he could have done more,” Roseman told reporters, via NBC Sports Philadelphia. “We’re trying to balance everyone we have at every position and what we’re looking for offensively, defensively and on special teams, and sometimes it just comes down to looking for a specific role for a specific spot.”
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