The Philadelphia Eagles are coming off two of the most tumultuous weeks in years as they head into a critical Week 6 game against the Carolina Panthers on Sunday.
Shaking off a 3-game losing streak will be hard if they can’t get to Carolina quarterback Bryce Young.
While the Eagles got some good news on their inactives list before the Panthers game — starting center Drew Kendall was active and ready to play — they’ll be without standout edge rushers A.J. Epenesa and Jalyx Hunt, last year’s team leader in both sacks and interceptions.
“Eagles C Drew Kendall (knee) is active for the Panthers game,” The Philadelphia Inquirer’s Jeff McLane wrote on his official X account. “Eagles inactives for Panthers game: WR Hollywood Brown, QB Joe Milton (3d QB), RB Saquon Barkley (hamstring) DB Michael Carter II (abdomen), OLB A.J. Epenesa (back). OLB Jalyx Hunt (ankle/knee).”
Injury News Dominates Headlines for Eagles
The big injury news for the Eagles hit earlier in the week when the team announced that starting quarterback and Super Bowl LIX MVP Jalen Hurts would miss the Panthers game with a “superficial” blood clot in his leg.
That news got even more dire on Saturday when it was learned that Hurts would be placed on injury reserve and is out indefinitely.
“Breaking: After consultations with numerous doctors and experts that went into Saturday, the Eagles are placing quarterback Jalen Hurts on injured reserve,” ESPN’s Adam Schefter wrote on his official X account on Saturday. “The move will sideline Hurts indefinitely.”
The Eagles announced earlier in the week that Hurts would miss Sunday’s game against the Carolina Panthers and backup Tanner McKee would start. The Eagles and Hurts discovered a blood clot in his leg before last week’s loss to the Jacksonville Jaguars but Hurts went ahead and played.
Missing Jalyx Hunt: Huge Loss to Eagles’ Defense
While Epenesa has had a slow start in his first year with the Eagles, losing Hunt is a killer — he hasn’t registered a sack yet this season, but he’s been active up front with 15 tackles, 4 QB hits, 2 pass deflections, and 1 TFL.
The Athletic’s Zach Berman singled Hunt out as a player who could be a household name by the end of this season during an appearance on The 33rd Team’s NFL Spotlight with Ari Meirov.
“(Hunt) is really impressive,” Berman said. “He has the frame. He has the athleticism. I think the tools are matching up to that right now. He’s just at the point in your career where you’re seeing it all come together. He’s been an absolute menace in terms of rushing the quarterback … now, can he go from a 6.5-sack player to a double-digit sack player? I think the talent’s there for him to do that.”
Eagles Lose Pair of Standout Edge Rushers for Panthers Game