December 14, 2019
Kate Frese/Kate Frese
Lane Johnson during the Philadelphia Eagles game against the Detroit Lions at Lincoln Financial Field, Philadelphia, on September 22, 2019. (Kate Frese/Philly Voice)
As always, the Philadelphia Eagles have more than their share of injuries. The Washington team, meanwhile, is in worse shape than the Birds on the injury (and otherwise missing players) front.
Here is the Eagles-Washington injury report, with analysis.
• RT Lane Johnson (ankle): Johnson is "week-to-week" with a high ankle injury, after Carson Wentz fell on his left leg Monday night against the Giants. He could be out a while. Luckily for the Eagles, star edge rusher Ryan Kerrigan won't play either.
• DE Derek Barnett (ankle): The Eagles got a good effort out of Vinny Curry last Monday against the Giants, but they could still certainly use Barnett against the 36-year-old Donald Penn.
• WR Nelson Agholor (knee): The Eagles only have three healthy receivers — an under-performing second round rookie in J.J. Arcega-Whiteside, and two practice squad players in Greg Ward and Robert Davis.
• RB Jordan Howard (shoulder): It's looking more and more like Howard's season is already over.
• CB Ronald Darby (hip flexor): Well this is a new one. I have no idea with the severity of Darby's injury is, but he was at least a limited participant in practice on Friday.
• WR DeSean Jackson (IR): The Eagles' offense has had a pathetic lack of speed ever since Jackson suffered an abdominal injury Week 2.
• WR Alshon Jeffery (IR): Jeffery's 2019 season was a disappointment, as he had 43 catches for 490 yards and 4 TD receptions in 10 games, or an average of 4.3 catches for 49 yards per game in the games he played. He was also accused of being the anonymous source who criticized Carson Wentz and the Eagles' front office to ESPN reporter Josina Anderson. He's done for the season with a Lisfranc injury. To be determined if he has already played his last game as an Eagle.
• DT Malik Jackson (IR): Originally, the loss of Jackson hurt most when the Eagles forced obvious passing downs, as the Eagles didn't have a clear replacement for him in those second-and third-and-long situations. They have since moved Brandon Graham inside on those downs, with Josh Sweat coming in at LDE.
• DT Hassan Ridgeway (IR): Ridgeway was a decent rotational DT who could eat up snaps before he went on IR.
• RB Darren Sproles: Sproles is done for the season with a hip flexor injury. There was really no reason that all of his snaps shouldn't have been going to Miles Sanders in the first place.
• RB Corey Clement (IR): Clement worked his way back from a knee injury only to suffer a shoulder injury Week 2 against the Falcons. His shoulder wasn't getting better, so the Eagles shut him down for the season.
• OT Jordan Mailata (IR): Mailata has a back injury, but he's mainly on IR because the Eagles needed the roster spot.
• DE Joe Ostman (IR): Ostman was having a great camp, before he was lost for the season with a torn ACL.
• LB Ryan Kerrigan: Kerrigan is having the first down year of his NFL career, as he only has 5.5 sacks, and he had his consecutive-games played streak snapped at 139 earlier this season. With Lane Johnson out, as noted above, the Eagles catch a break, as Kerrigan has killed Vaitai in the past.
• WR Paul Richardson (hamstring): Richardson is Washington’s overpaid, oft-injured No. 2 WR, who has 28 catches for 245 yards and 2 TDs this season in 10 games.
• WR Trey Quinn (concussion): There was some optimism for Quinn heading into this season as a slot receiver, but he has under-perfromed.
• RG Brandon Scherff (elbow/shoulder): Scherff is by far Washington's best offensive lineman.
• CB Quinton Dunbar (hamstring): Dunbar is Washington's best corner. He has not practiced all week.
• CB Fabian Moreau (hamstring): Moreau has filled in for the benched Josh Norman. We covered him in our five matchups to watch.
• S Montae Nicholson (ankle): Nicholson is a starting safety. He has 52 tackles and 2 INTs this season.
• CB Josh Norman (illness): Washington doesn't seem to want to play Norman anymore under any circumstances, as his career winds down there.
• LT Trent Williams (holdout): 36-year-old Donald Penn has started in place of Williams at LT, with former Giants bust Ereck Flowers starting at LG. Woof.
In case you missed any of the Williams saga, the short-short version is that he held out, he stated repeatedly through sources that he is never playing for Washington again, and instead of trading him at the deadline for valuable assets, Washington just held onto him for the full season.
• QB Alex Smith (IR): Smith is still recovering from the gruesome broken leg he suffered last season against the Texans. It will be impressive if he ever plays football again.
• TE Jordan Reed (IR): Reed has missed the entire season with the seventh documented concussion of his career, which occurred on a hit by the Falcons' Keanu Neal during the preseason.
• TE Vernon Davis (IR): Davis hurt the Eagles Week 1, when he embarrassed Andrew Sendejo and the rest of the Eagles' defense. Davis is on IR with a concussion.
• LB Reuben Foster (IR): After his third arrest in a calendar year, the San Francisco 49ers waived Foster during the 2018 season. Fewer than three days after the third arrest, which was on domestic violence charges, Washington claimed him off of waivers. They were roundly (and rightly) criticized for it. Foster did not play the rest of 2018, but he figured to be a big part of Washington's plans on defense in 2019, as he was slated to start at inside linebacker, replacing Zach Brown. He tore his ACL in May, in addition to suffering nerve damage. Obviously, he is done for the season.
• RB Derrius Guice (IR): Guice got hurt Week 1 against the Eagles after a 10 carry, 18 yard game. He returned Week 11, played four games, and played well, improving his yards per carry total to 5.8. Last Sunday against the Packers, he sprained his MCL and is done for the season.
• CB Dominique Rodgers-Cromartie (IR): DRC was actually a starter at one point earlier this season, but he had surgery to repair ligaments in his ankle.
• S Deshazor Everett (IR): Backup saefty and special teamer. He's the guy who cheap-shotted Darren Sproles a few years ago.
• CB Greg Stroman (IR): Backup CB and special teamer.
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