Eagles vs Commanders Week 16 Wednesday Injury Report
It is late December in the NFL, which means looking at an injury report is about as fun as checking your credit card statement after holiday shopping. You know it is going to be ugly, you just hope the damage is not catastrophic. For the Philadelphia Eagles, the situation heading into Saturday’s clash with the Commanders is a mixed bag of relief and genuine concern. Coming off a 31-0 drubbing of the Raiders, the vibes should be immaculate. But this is Philadelphia, where we cannot have nice things without a little bit of panic attached. The team is sitting at 9-5 and trying to lock up the NFC East, but the bodies are piling up fast on the offensive side of the ball.
Saquon Barkley Returns to Eagles Practice
Let us start with the news that will actually let you sleep at night. Saquon Barkley is back. After a stinger knocked him out of the Raiders game and kept him out of Tuesday’s walkthrough, the star running back was a full participant on Wednesday. This is massive. The offense runs through Barkley, and losing him for any stretch of time would basically force Jalen Hurts to play hero ball, which historically yields mixed results.
Seeing number 26 back on the field at Lincoln Financial Field (where practice was moved because the NovaCare fields are basically frozen tundras right now) is the single biggest win of the week so far. If Barkley is good to go, the offense has a heartbeat, regardless of who is blocking for him. And considering the state of the offensive line, he might need to dodge a few defenders in the backfield on Saturday.
Eagles Offensive Line is Decimated
Here is where things get a little scary. The Eagles’ offensive line, usually the pride and joy of this franchise, is currently held together by athletic tape and hope. We already knew Lane Johnson had been out for a month with that Lisfranc foot sprain. That is old news. The problem is that his backup, Fred Johnson, is now sidelined with an ankle injury.
To make matters worse, Landon Dickerson, who is an absolute warrior for playing through a calf issue last week, did not practice on Wednesday. He was listed with “rest” in addition to the calf injury, so maybe Nick Sirianni is just playing it safe on a short week. But when you look at the offensive line combination the Eagles rolled out during warmups, it looked like a preseason experiment. We saw Jordan Mailata, Brett Toth, Cam Jurgens, Tyler Steen, and Matt Pryor.
If that is the starting five on Saturday, Jalen Hurts is going to need eyes in the back of his head. It is a testament to Jeff Stoutland that this unit functions at all, but asking a third-string tackle to anchor the right side is flirting with disaster.
Jalen Carter and Defensive Updates for the Eagles
On the other side of the ball, the news is a bit quieter but still concerning. Jalen Carter sat out again with those shoulder issues. He has missed two games now, and while the team has not put him on Injured Reserve, you have to wonder how effective he will be if he does return for the playoffs. The good news? The defense just pitched its first shutout since 2018 without him.
It is ironic that the defense finally looks dominant right when their interior disruptor is missing. We also saw Zack Baun (hand) and Jaelan Phillips (knee) practicing fully, so the linebacker corps is getting healthy at the right time. The defense needs to keep carrying the load because, with the offensive line in shambles, this team might need to win a few more ugly, low-scoring games down the stretch.
Commanders Limping to the Finish Line
Luckily for the Eagles, the Washington Commanders are not exactly the picture of health either. They are 4-10 and playing out the string. Their sensation quarterback, Jayden Daniels, is shut down for the rest of the season with an elbow injury, which means we are likely getting the Marcus Mariota experience on Saturday.
Their left tackle, Laremy Tunsil, is dealing with an oblique injury, so the Eagles’ pass rush should feast even if Carter is out. This is a game Philadelphia should win on talent alone. They have the better roster, the better quarterback, and actual playoff stakes on the line. But in the NFL, especially in the NFC East, nothing is ever as easy as it looks on paper. The Eagles need to survive this game, clinch the division, and hope the training staff can work some miracles on the offensive line before January hits.
