Following an injury-filled Week 4 battle against the Los Angeles Rams, the Philadelphia Eagles are in a tough spot going into London to face the Jacksonville Jaguars.
The team’s backfield took a major hit. During the first half, the Eagles watched their star running back Saquon Barkley leave with a hamstring injury.
During the second half, Barkley’s primary backup, Tank Bigsby, went down with an injury that will require surgery and send him to the injured reserve.
The Eagles have Will Shipley, but will certainly need to bring in some help. When it comes to possible practice squad elevations, Eagles On SI’s John McMullen “expects” Dameon Pierce to be the top in-house option.
The other options from the practice squad are Jaydon Blue and Carson Steele. Pierce and Steele spent the offseason with the Eagles, while Blue was a member of the Dallas Cowboys.
Dameon Pierce’s NFL Career
The 26-year-old running back spent his college days at Florida.
During the 2022 NFL Draft, Pierce was picked up by the Houston Texans as a fourth-round pick.
He spent the first four years of his career playing for the Texans. During his fourth season in 2025, Pierce was traded to the Kansas City Chiefs after appearing in four games.
While Pierce’s role diminished over time, he has starting experience with 20 starts in 43 games. As a full-time starter in 2022, Pierce rushed 220 times for 939 yards and four touchdowns.
In year two, he took on 145 carries for 416 yards and two touchdowns.
The fact that Pierce has starting experience should be a plus for the Eagles’ current situation. They might not need a long-term replacement option for Saquon Barkley, but it’s unclear how long the week-to-week timeline could expand.