Getty Philadelphia Eagles running back Jordan Howard will face his former team, the Chicago Bears, this Sunday. Bennett/Getty Images)
Jordan Howard is officially out for the Eagles Sunday. Jay Ajayi will see his first game action since tearing his ACL in 2018.
It was widely rumored that Howard wouldn’t play Sunday due to a nagging shoulder injury, technically declared a “stinger” by Doug Pederson, and had been listed questionable on the team’s final injury report.
According to ESPN’s Adam Schefter, Howard will not play versus the Patriots. Ajayi, a player the Eagles just signed off the street Friday, is expected to play in his absence. He’ll split time in the backfield with rookie Miles Sanders.
Eagles’ RB Jordan Howard, listed as questionable for Sunday’s game vs. Patriots with a shoulder injury, is not expected to play, per source.
New Eagles’ RB Jay Ajayi, signed only Friday, is expected to make his 2019 debut Sunday vs. Patriots, per source.
Howard has been the Eagles’ leading rusher this season with 525 yards and six touchdowns. The former Bears starter was Philadelphia’s prized offseason acquisition — the only one that has worked out for GM Howie Roseman — and was a key cog in their offensive attack. Howard had been rumored to be in the mix for a contract extension.
Eagles Officially Announce Jay Ajayi Signing
The Eagles had been rumored to be in talks to sign Jay Ajayi since late Thursday evening. The team made it official around 5 p.m. on Friday after clearing a roster spot by placing Darren Sproles on IR.
Ajayi could step in and contribute immediately since he already knows the offense. Remember, he was a vital cog during the Eagles’ Super Bowl run and rushed for 408 yards on 70 carries, plus 184 more yards in the playoffs. He has 562 carries for 2,516 yards and 13 touchdowns in four NFL seasons.
Roster Move: #Eagles have signed RB Jay Ajayi and placed RB Darren Sproles on Reserve/Injured.
Head coach Doug Pederson hinted that Ajayi would be integrated into the Patriots gameplan right away.
“Yeah, I think so. Don’t lose sight too, De’Angelo Henderson is on our practice squad, he’s another candidate that has been working really hard in our offense, knows our system, and has been here too, so we have a couple of options there,” Pederson told reporters Friday. “If it’s Jay and really if it’s either one, I think we can give them a little bit of work.”
Eagles Send Representative to Watch Colin Kaepernick’s Workout
The Eagles sent a representative to watch Colin Kaepernick’s private workout in Atlanta. They were the first team confirmed to have an executive there.
Vice-President of Football Operations Andrew Berry was spotted at Kaepernick’s workout after it was moved from the Falcons practice facility to a small college about 60 miles away. Berry is largely considered GM Howie Roseman’s right-hand man, or the guy that replaced Joe Douglas.
Andrew Berry, the Philadelphia Eagles’ Vice President of Football Operations, is on site for Colin Kaepernick’s NFL workout here in Atlanta. t.co/ubJ3gJsnpY
Kaepernick’s side decided to change locations of the workout one hour before the scheduled start time at 3 p.m. after the NFL refused to allow TV cameras and media into the event. His side wanted to “ensure transparency” and not having media there became a sticking point. Kaepernick wanted to put on a real showcase, instead of a PR stunt.
Colin Kaepernick’s workout at the Falcons’ training facility at 3 pm is off; his workout now will be at another Atlanta location at 4 pm today.
Here is the official announcement:
