Welcome to The Linc, the daily Philadelphia Eagles links roundup at Bleeding Green Nation!
We can’t praise Jalen Hurts for his impact on the run game when it’s been good in the past (which he absolutely deserves credit for!) and then also say it doesn’t matter if he’s not running now. It absolutely does matter. One would imagine his calf injury isn’t helping matters at the moment. But, dating back to last year, there’s been plenty of reporting about how Hurts doesn’t want to run as much as he did
in the past and the Eagles seem to be on board with that approach. There’s certainly a balance to be had because it’s not good if Hurts recklessly runs around too much. But we’ve reached a point where it’s not enough, especially at a time where the offense is in desperate search of answers to get going.
Let’s get to the Philadelphia Eagles news and links …
Why doesn’t Jalen Hurts run anymore? – NBCSP
After twice averaging over 50 rushing yards per game early in his career, he’s at a career-low 21.4 yards per game this year, which ranks 9th among quarterbacks. After running for 49 yards in the opener vs. Washington, he’s averaged just 15 yards per game since Week 2. His 61 rushing yards the last four weeks is 2rd-fewest in a four game stretch since he became a full-time starter in 2021. It’s his fewest – by 75 yards – through five games of a season. His two rushing yards Sunday were 2nd-fewest of his 89 career starts. He had minus-10 rushing yards in the win over the Vikings last year at U.S. Bank Stadium. He had two five-yard losses, one of them a kneeldown, in the final 47 seconds of that game. Hurts is still effective when he does run. His 4.7 average is his highest since 2021, and his two runs of 20 yards or more match his total from all of last year. He just does it less than ever. Why? I asked him that on Wednesday.
Jalen Hurts won’t say much about “very unique” calf injury that was disclosed last Friday – PFT
When the question came up during his midweek press conference, here’s what Hurts said: “It was a very unique experience, to say the least. I don’t want to get into the details of kind of leading up to the game and whatnot, but got nicked up in the Rams game.” There’s a lot there, in not that many words. What would be “very unique” about a calf injury that didn’t impact his practice reps? And why would it be a big secret? The complicating factor is that the Eagles flew to London on Friday. Did he require medical care in London? Would it be something that the team doctors were able to provide? Did he have to visit a local hospital for it?
Nick Sirianni’s Eagles career is at a crossroads – BGN
And make no mistake, Sirianni will attempt on Sunday to do something no NFL team has ever successfully done — win a game in which a team is coming off an international game and has to play a team coming off a bye week. It’s only happened four times before, and teams in the Birds’ position are 0-4. This was the Eagles’ choice, by the way. They could have scheduled their bye week coming back from London, but chose to push it later in the season. Nevertheless, it would be a remarkable thing if Sirianni has this team up and running at full capacity on Sunday afternoon against a team coming off a two-week break. It’s fair to wonder if Sirianni lost the locker room last Sunday, even if his decision to allow a return was defensible. He has taken full responsibility for last week’s debacle, a noble act. And while that is certainly appreciated by his players, and while his players all want to do well for him, how will they respond to that? Do they see their boss taking ownership of a questionable decision and continue to rally behind him? Or do they see him as a good guy that lacks answers on how to fix a lackluster offense and has had an uneven track record of making in-game decisions?
Panthers vs Eagles: Matchups to watch – Cat Scratch Reader
Robert Hunt vs Jalen Carter. The Eagles defense has been keeping them in games while their offense stumbles around. Jalen Carter is a big part of that. He leads the team with three sacks in five games, which is a very high number for an interior lineman. He’s coming off a dominant performance against the Jaguars in which he was credited with two of those sacks and 1.5 run stuffs. All of the Panthers interior linemen will be responsible for keeping Carter in check, but it’s likely going to be Robert Hunt that handles the bulk of that assignment. Hunt has been a little shaky this season. He’ll need to regain his form from past seasons to limit Carter.
Analyzing trade values of potential Eagles sell candidates – PhillyVoice
RB Saquon Barkley (29). Why should the Eagles trade him? Trading Barkley would be a tough pill to swallow because of his contributions to the 2024 Super Bowl team, but he turns 30 in February and he has an expensive contract. (Caveat: The team kind of has to be inarguably “done-done” to trade Barkley.) Why should other teams trade for him? Barkley still has juice, and there are a bunch of teams that he could help make dangerous. Trade value: Second-round pick. Logical trade partners: Broncos, Texans, Seahawks, Vikings, Packers.
Game Review – JAX 19, PHI 17 – Iggles Blitz
Willie Lampkin made his first career start and got most of the attention. He struggled early on before settling in. He gave up the most pressures of any of the linemen. I think his biggest issue was getting his hands on defenders too slowly at times. He will need to be more aggressive moving forward. He did have some good blocks and showed some promise. His lack of size was an issue at times. I hope we get to see a few more starts so we can get a better feel for what his ceiling is.
15 NFL players, coaches on the hot seat entering Week 6: Quinn, McDaniel, others – ESPN
And as I wrote about last year, Sirianni’s lack of clear ownership over any one particular piece of the operation makes him more likely to receive blame for what goes wrong than credit for what goes right. Sirianni’s résumé through five-plus years as Eagles head coach is as good as anybody’s in NFL history, but for various reasons, there’s a clear perception that Sirianni isn’t the one driving much of that success. And while Sirianni has racked up a gaudy win-loss record during his time in Philadelphia, the Eagles are 5-7 over their past 12 games, including a three-game losing streak. Three of their next four games are at home against the Panthers, Cowboys and Giants, all games we would expect Sirianni’s team to win. If the Eagles win games, even in ugly fashion, fans will tolerate the struggles. But if the losing streak continues, well, the sudden end to Doug Pederson’s tenure with the team in 2020 should tell you just how quickly an otherwise successful run can come to a sudden close in Philadelphia.
NFL QB rankings, Week 6: Josh Allen reclaims No. 1 spot; Jordan Love makes biggest jump – NFL.com
26) Jalen Hurts gave his best effort, hit a big touchdown pass to Darius Cooper and moved the Eagles into a winning position before it all fell apart. It’s tough to pin too much of the Eagles’ struggles on Hurts right now. He’s playing behind a makeshift offensive line, doesn’t have his top running back or receiver, and is being asked to make the best of it.
Struggling Eagles first-round pick reacts to reduced role: ‘Ain’t a weird situation at all’ – NJ.com
“Nah, it ain’t a weird situation at all,” Campbell said on Wednesday about having to split time with Trotter Jr. “It’s a great bond. Like whatever people think or whatever the case may be, it’s not that at the end of the day. … Football is about competition. So I think in our room, we all understand our goals and what we want to accomplish. That’s just to go out there and dominate.”
Why the Eagles pivoted from Jaelan Phillips to Jonathan Greenard — and why they’re still waiting – The Athletic
They also preserved optionality at edge rusher. It remained a priority for them. Trey Hendrickson was a possibility before he signed with the Baltimore Ravens. Interest in Greenard remained throughout the spring. The Eagles now view it as adding Greenard and Woolen for Phillips, even if other pieces are involved. One cannot compare the Phillips vs. Greenard decisions without considering two factors: The savings reallocated after missing out on Phillips, and the draft picks spent to acquire Greenard. The Eagles traded the No. 98 selection in April’s draft and a third-rounder next season. The Eagles will likely receive a third-round compensatory pick for losing Phillips, which will be lower (but in the same round) than the pick dealt to Minnesota. The No. 98 pick this year went to safety Jakobe Thomas, who has been inactive for all five games with the Vikings. The next two picks were cornerback Julian Neal and safety Jalen Huskey. It’s hard to say how the Eagles would have spent the pick. It wouldn’t have been someone of Woolen’s present-day ability, although it would have been a cost-controlled player who could grow into the team’s young core. The biggest argument for or against acquiring Greenard cannot be residual benefits or drawbacks. The key is how Greenard performs. The Eagles added him to be the top edge rusher — someone with a track record of double-digit sack seasons while staying physical against the run. If he’s atop the depth chart, he puts Hunt and Smith into natural roles behind him and gives the Eagles a formidable trio.
Gargano: A weekend in London reveals the truth — Eagles are the world’s team – PHLY Eagles
The Cowboys were America’s Team, a creation of another century, when television became the great national campfire and the NFL was exploding into the country’s most powerful cultural institution. They were glamorous and successful, their star shining from coast to coast, an empire built on winning and marketed with the precision of Hollywood. But that was the 20th century. The Eagles belong to something different. A smaller world. A connected world. A world without borders, where a kid in Mumbai or a cabdriver in London can fall in love with a football team from a city he’s never visited. Where an Englishman names his sons Iverson and Joel, where the old neighborhood allegiances of South Philadelphia can somehow stretch across oceans and cultures. The Cowboys were America’s Team. The Eagles have become the World’s Team. And yet, beneath the extraordinary spectacle of London, there was a troubling irony. At the very moment the Eagles’ reach had never been greater, the team itself is approaching an uncertain future. At 2-3, a franchise that has become the model of sustained success is suddenly wobbling, its quarterback and head coach facing difficult questions, its foundation showing cracks that even the most magnificent traveling congregation couldn’t disguise.
Crucial Catch: Season Ticket Members share stories of strength, ‘Cancer does not get to write the ending’ – PhiladelphiaEagles.com
As part of the NFL’s Crucial Catch initiative, the Eagles are proud to highlight Season Ticket Members who have defeated cancer and their survivor stories.
Patriots open A.J. Brown’s 21-day window to return from injured reserve – Pats Pulpit
The New England Patriots set sights on the New York Jets with reinforcements from injured reserve. Head coach Mike Vrabel announced during his Wednesday press conference that the organization has opened the practice windows for wide receiver A.J. Brown and offensive tackle Marcus Bryant. Both now have a 21-day runway to be activated back to the 53-man roster. Brown, 29, sustained a high ankle sprain in the season opener versus the Seattle Seahawks and spent the past four games on injured reserve before becoming eligible to return this week. The June trade acquisition from the Philadelphia Eagles caught three passes for 26 yards during his brief 2026 debut. He headed to the locker room in the third quarter of what became a 13-10 loss at Lumen Field. Now, with fellow veteran receiver Mack Hollins landing on IR due to a calf injury, the rest of the active depth chart includes Romeo Doubs, DeMario Douglas, Efton Chism III and Kyle Williams.
49ers try out 4 little-known LBs as turmoil hits at the position – VC Star
Orji spent some time on the Eagles’ practice squad earlier this season.
According to the NFL transaction wire the 49ers had linebackers Eugene Asante, Jamon Johnson, Kobe King and Anfernee Orji in for workouts.
NY Giants-Saints injury report: Abdul Carter out of practice with calf issue – Big Blue View
New York Giants edge defender Abdul Carter, the team’s best pass rusher, did not practice on Wednesday due to a calf injury. His status for Sunday’s game against the New Orleans Saints remains to be seen. Head coach John Harbaugh would only say that Carter is “doing very well.” The Giants are already without star edge defender Brian Burns, out for the season with a torn ACL. Starting right tackle Jermaine Eluemunor (calf), cornerback Colton Hood (concussion), safety Tyler Nubin (neck), and left tackle Andrew Thomas (groin) also did not practice.
Cowboys injuries: DeMarvion Overshown, Cobie Durant DNP – Blogging The Boys
At 2-3, the Dallas Cowboys have been extremely disappointing, given all the talent they have throughout the roster. That said, they are still only one game behind in the win column for the NFC East lead. The team hopes to get some healthy bodies back soon and also gain more clarity on the players who left last Thursday’s game with injuries. Ahead of another primetime showdown, Dallas released its first official injury report of the week. Here’s the latest we know regarding Cowboys injuries.
Dallas Cowboys will be fine, according to Field Yates – SB Nation
When it comes to the Dallas Cowboys there is either ecstacy or chaos. If the team is rolling then life is wonderful. Sunshine covers us all. If the team is down in the dumps… you better stay way, way, way out of the picture. Given that the Cowboys have only been above .500 once in Brian Schottenheimer’s reign, this is currently his second season, there has been a lot of moments for overall chaos to unfold. The team keeps teasing people with the idea that they maybe, might someday be good… and then they do something like get destroyed by a winless Tampa Bay Buccaneers team in front of the whole world. Evaluation a team with that level of polarity can be difficult. Thankfully I recently had a chance to sit down with someone who is objectively-grounded in ESPN’s Field Yates, this conversation took place before that game to be clear, and among everything we talked about he shared that he believes the Cowboys will ultimately be fine.
Who could replace Dan Quinn as Washington Commanders head coach? – Hogs Haven
Declan Doyle (Ravens OC): Another young, rising NFL coaching star, Doyle made a name for himself as Ben Johnson’s right-hand man in Chicago in 2025. Because he wanted autonomy to call plays himself, he joined Jesse Minter in Baltimore where he’s the Ravens offensive architect. He currently has Baltimore’s offense at a top five unit in the NFL after five weeks.
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