Eagles Not Placing Hurts on IR Amid Blood Clot — SkimNews
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- Eagles are not planning to place Jalen Hurts on injured reserve despite his indefinite sidelining with a superficial blood clot, sources told ESPN, and have not even discussed the IR option.
- Hurts and the team are still gathering medical opinions to determine the best treatment, with the ultimate return-to-play decision coming from his medical team; IR remains a possibility if later warranted.
- Blood clots are typically treated with anticoagulants, which prohibit playing, and a moderate dose carries a minimum six-week window — though anti-inflammatories alone are possible if the clot is minor.
- Unaffiliated NFL team doctors who have not examined Hurts told ESPN the clot could sideline him roughly six weeks, with one texting the timeline depends on size, location, and hematology evaluation.
- Backup QB Tanner McKee will start Sunday against the Carolina Panthers, rookie Cole Payton was promoted to backup, and the Eagles signed Joe Milton off Dallas' practice squad, where he must remain on Philadelphia's roster for three weeks.
- The Eagles released a lengthy statement Thursday detailing the discovery of Hurts' blood clot and ruling him out for Sunday's home game against Carolina.
- Philadelphia has navigated a chaotic stretch that includes hamstring injuries to Saquon Barkley and DeVonta Smith, Lane Johnson's retirement, and the trade of center Cam Jurgens, with Barkley potentially returning next week.
Why it matters: By skipping IR, the Eagles preserve roster flexibility and signal their medical team isn't yet treating this as a guaranteed month-plus absence — but the six-week anticoagulant minimum estimated by outside doctors suggests McKee could be starting well beyond a single game, forcing Philadelphia to lean on a third-string rookie and a recently signed Cowboys castoff to keep its season alive.
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