The Philadelphia Eagles could get Saquon Barkley and DeVonta Smith back against the Carolina Panthers on Sunday, offering a depleted offense help as the team tries to snap a three-game losing streak.
Coach Nick Sirianni said Monday he was “hopeful” about getting offensive reinforcements when asked specifically about Barkley and Smith, according to ESPN’s Tim McManus. NFL Network’s Mike Garafolo reported that one or both could return, depending on how they progress through the practice week. Both players are recovering from hamstring injuries. Smith has missed the past two games, while Barkley exited the Week 4 loss to the Rams after two carries and sat out Sunday’s 19-17 loss to Jacksonville.
The passing numbers illustrate what Philadelphia has
been missing. In the first three games, with Smith and Barkley available, Jalen Hurts completed 56 of 87 passes for 620 yards, five touchdowns and three interceptions. That amounted to a 64.4% completion rate and 7.1 yards per attempt. Philadelphia went 2-1. In the two games without Smith, with Barkley contributing only briefly against Los Angeles, Hurts completed 33 of 67 passes for 313 yards and three touchdowns without an interception. His completion rate fell to 49.3%, and his yards-per-attempt dropped to 4.7. The Eagles lost both games.
Indications are one, if not both, DeVonta Smith and Saquon Barkley have a shot to return against the #Panthers, though the #Eagles have to see how the practice week goes. https://t.co/JbVwyvjNRq
— Mike Garafolo (@MikeGarafolo) October 12, 2026
Smith caught 19 passes for 235 yards and a touchdown before he was injured, giving Hurts a proven option that an increasingly inexperienced receiving group has struggled to replace.
Barkley’s absence was particularly noticeable in London. Philadelphia managed 22 rushing yards on 18 attempts, averaging 1.2 yards per carry, and finished with 232 total yards. Barkley has rushed for 182 yards on 36 carries this season, averaging 5.1 yards per attempt.
Their returns would give Philadelphia more options, but the offense still needs sustained production. The Eagles averaged 18.3 points in the three games both played and 18.5 in the two games Smith missed. Getting healthier would help; turning those reinforcements into consistent drives remains the challenge.
This article originally appeared on Eagles Wire: Eagles are hopeful Saquon Barkley, DeVonta Smith can return vs. Panthers
