Jalen Hurts and the Philadelphia Eagles opened the NFL season with two wins, beginning with a 24-22 victory over Washington in Week 1 in which the quarterback threw three touchdown passes without a turnover.
A 24-20 win over Tennessee followed, but losses to Chicago and Los Angeles changed the picture, and a 57-yard walk-off field goal in London completed the slide at 2-3. The trouble began against the Rams, when a cleat caught the quarterback’s calf and an ultrasound before the team traveled revealed a superficial blood clot.
He was initially cleared to play, but a follow-up on Wednesday showed the clot had moved, ruling him out. In the games he has played, Hurts has thrown for 933 yards and eight touchdowns.
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That leaves the Eagles with a roster question, and the timeline is what makes it a tricky one. The absence has no set end date, while an injured reserve designation would keep a player out for at least four games, so how the team classifies him could shape how soon he gets back.
Now, the Eagles are holding off on placing Hurts on injured reserve, according to ESPN’s Adam Schefter. Keeping him on the active roster means he could be back sooner than four games, and the decision comes with a change in the quarterback room as well.
Tanner McKee is next up under center. The fourth-year quarterback, a sixth-round pick, is 1-1 in two career starts, and rookie Cole Payton, a fifth-round selection, will back him up.
Joining them is Joe Milton, who came over from the Dallas Cowboys’ practice squad on Friday. The 26-year-old brings 6-foot-5 size and a strong arm but has yet to make an NFL start, with 424 yards, two touchdowns and two interceptions across five appearances.
Hurts isn’t the only name on the Eagles’ injury report. Saquon Barkley, pass rusher Jalyx Hunt and defensive back Michael Carter will all be out against Carolina, A.J. Epenesa is doubtful and DeVonta Smith is expected to return.
The Eagles host the Carolina Panthers at Lincoln Financial Field on Sunday, with kickoff set for 1 p.m. ET.
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