September 13, 2026
Edward Finan/IMAGN IMAGES via Reuters Connect
We finally have an answer on who the Eagles' QB2 is.
The Philadelphia Eagles are mostly healthy heading into their Week 1 matchup with the Washington Commanders. The Commanders will be without their starting LT, their top CB, and several other notable players.
Here are the Eagles' and Commanders' inactives, with analysis.
Britain Covey is a practice squad call-up. He'll return punts, and probably also kicks.
• EDGE Jonathan Greenard: The good news for the Eagles is that Greenard practiced in the leadup to Week 1 after missing the entirety of training camp. Jalyx Hunt had a fantastic camp, and Nolan Smith finished strongly, so Vic Fangio can probably feel good about them as starters, with Greenard easing in, whenever he is ready to play.
• QB Tanner McKee (emergency QB): The Eagles' QB2 is Andy Dalton.
• QB Cole Payton: Payton is the Eagles' QB4. He is a good athlete who did play on the punt team in preseason games, so there's a chance he could be active at some point this season in some kind of role other than quarterback, but he's inactive Week 1.
• WR Elijah Moore: Moore doesn't offer special teams chops, so Darius Cooper is up ahead of Moore.
• OG Micah Morris: Morris is a developmental offensive linemen who showed enough in camp to make the roster, but should be a mainstay on the inactive list this season.
• TE Eli Stowers: The Eagles selected Stowers in the second round of the 2026 draft because of his athletic traits, but he did not have a good rookie training camp, and is not yet ready to play. He was listed as questionable on the Eagles' injury report with a hamstring injury heading into Week 1, but was moved to IR. He'll miss at least the first four games of the season.
The Commanders' inactives:
#WASvsPHI inactives
— Washington Commanders (@Commanders) September 13, 2026
• LT Laremy Tunsil (IR - DFR): During training camp, Tunsil tore his triceps and will be out for a chunk of the regular season. He is arguably the best player on Commanders' roster. The Commanders don't have much in the way of ideal replacements. They settled on Brandon Coleman, who was in a camp battle with Chris Paul for the starting LG spot. Coleman started 12 games for the Commanders at LT in 2024. He also started three games at LT when Tunsil got hurt last season. Massive downgrade.
The Commanders were likely hoping that Coleman, a 2024 early third-round pick, would win the starting LG job over Paul. Instead, Coleman had to move to LT, and Paul will have to start at LG. In other words, the Tunsil injury didn't just cause a downgrade at LT. It also caused a less than ideal outcome at LG too.
• CB Trey Amos (IR - DFR): Amos suffered a fractured fibula Week 10 last season, and started 2026 training camp on the PUP list. He was activated from PUP on August 7th, but he promptly injured his ankle, and has been out since. The Commanders placed him on injured reserve (designated for return) at 53-man cutdowns.
The Commanders were counting on Amos to be their top cornerback heading into 2026, and he has gotten almost no practice time so far this offseason. He'll miss at least the first four games of the season. The Commanders' starters at corner will likely be Mike Sainristil, Amik Robertson, and Rasul Douglas.
• EDGE Dorance Armstrong (SUS): Armstrong had 5.5 sacks in 7 games last season before a torn ACL ended his season. There is an argument to be made that he is their best edge defender. He was suspended for one game as a result of a 2025 arrest on misdemeanor charges of assault and resisting arrest. He won't play Week 1.
• iDL Jer'Zhan Newton (IR - DFR): Newton suffered a torn pectoral muscle and will miss a big chunk of the season. Newton hasn't lived up to the expectations of being a 2024 second-round pick largely due to injuries, but he did finish fourth on the team last season with 5 sacks and the team was hoping he could make a leap in his third season. The Commanders already have a shaky interior D-line rotation, as is.
• EDGE Deatrich Wise (PUP): Wise was part of the Commanders' defensive line rotation to begin their 2025 season, but he suffered a quadriceps tear, and missed the entire season. He has still not yet recovered from that injury and will begin the 2026 season on the PUP list.
• RB Jeremy McNichols (IR - DFR): McNichols suffered a quad strain in camp, and was placed on injured reserve (designated for return). He's a pass catcher out of the backfield who has also returned kicks.
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