PHILADELPHIA – You’ll need an updated scorecard to keep track of the Eagles’ roster in their regular-season finale against the Dallas Cowboys on Saturday night.
Both teams had clinched playoff spots, and their seeding could only change marginally, and that would be based on the outcome of the other games Sunday.
For the Eagles, resting their starters heading into the playoffs next week was more important.
In addition, the Eagles placed 12 players on the COVID-19 list last Monday, many of them starters. Center Jason Kelce was the only one to come off. He was expected to start in order to extend his streak to 122 straight starts, the most among active NFL centers.
To replace those 11, the Eagles elevated the following players from the practice squad as COVID replacements – T Kayode Awosika, LB Christian Elliss, DB Jared Mayden, DB Mac McCain, TE Richard Rodgers, TE Noah Togiai, T Casey Tucker and DT Raequan Williams.
Jalen Hurts out, DeVonta Smith in
Eagles quarterback Jalen Hurts was not on the game-day roster, so Gardner Minshew was making his second start of the season.
Reid Sinnett served as the backup quarterback. He has never played in an NFL game.
Minshew started in place of Hurts against the Jets on Dec. 5, when Hurts was out with a sprained ankle suffered the week before. Minshew completed 20 of 25 passes for 242 yards and 2 TDs that day in the Eagles’ 33-18 win.
In addition, right tackle Lane Johnson (rest/knee) and left guard Landon Dickerson (thumb) were not on the game-day roster. They didn’t practice this week.
At cornerback, Darius Slay and Steve Nelson were inactive, as were defensive linemen Josh Sweat, Derek Barnett and Javon Hargrave. Fletcher Cox is on the COVID-19 list, so all four starting defensive linemen aren’t playing.
At running back, Miles Sanders (hand) was also on the inactive list, and Jordan Howard and Boston Scott are on the COVID-list. That left rookie Kenny Gainwell and practice squad elevation Jason Huntley as the only running backs.
The only position where the Eagles had all of their players was at wide receiver. DeVonta Smith needed 38 yards to break DeSean Jackson’s rookie receiving record for an Eagle. Jackson had 912 yards in 2008.
For the Cowboys, quarterback Dak Prescott, running back Ezekiel Elliott and wide receiver Amari Cooper were on the game-day roster.
Contact Martin Frank at mfrank@delawareonline.com. Follow on Twitter @Mfranknfl.
