The Philadelphia Eagles have placed quarterback Jalen Hurts on injured reserve after a follow-up examination showed movement in a superficial blood clot in his calf, forcing him out for at least four games.
Tanner McKee will start Sunday when Philadelphia faces the Carolina Panthers. Hurts is expected to undergo treatment and will be unavailable for at least a month as the Eagles seek medical clearance for his return.
Quick facts
- Hurts will miss a minimum of four games after being placed on injured reserve Saturday.
- McKee gets the start against Carolina, with Joe Milton III and rookie Cole Payton behind him.
- Philadelphia enters Sunday at 2-3 after three consecutive losses.
- Saquon Barkley remains out with a hamstring injury, while Tank Bigsby and Will Shipley are also on injured reserve.
Hurts initially received treatment on Oct. 8 after being stepped on during Philadelphia’s Week 4 defeat against the Los Angeles Rams. An ultrasound two days later, after the Eagles had traveled to London and completed a walkthrough before their Jacksonville Jaguars game, detected the clot.
Doctors at that time determined Hurts could play. He completed 21 of 40 passes for 220 yards and a touchdown against Jacksonville, but Philadelphia lost again.
After returning to the United States, Hurts practiced Wednesday before undergoing another ultrasound. That test revealed the clot had shifted, prompting the Eagles to rule him out against the Panthers and seek further opinions before making the injured-reserve move.
The quarterback has thrown for 933 yards, eight touchdowns and three interceptions through five games. His 57.8% completion rate is his lowest in a season other than his rookie year.
Philadelphia’s offensive issues extend well beyond the quarterback position. The club ranks 29th in scoring and 30th in total offense, paces that would mark its poorest points finish since 2012 and its lowest yardage ranking since 1999.
McKee will have wide receiver DeVonta Smith and tight end Dallas Goedert available, though both have missed two games this season. The backfield has been severely depleted, with Barkley set to sit out again and both Bigsby and Shipley unavailable.
Dameon Pierce and Carson Steele are expected to handle the running-back workload. The offensive line has also been shaken up after right tackle Lane Johnson retired Oct. 6 following more than 13 seasons and six Pro Bowl selections, while center Cam Jurgens was dealt to the Houston Texans the following day.
McKee has appeared in six NFL games, throwing for 597 yards with five touchdown passes and one interception. He owns a 1-1 record in two starts.
Milton joined the roster Friday after Philadelphia signed him from the Dallas Cowboys’ practice squad. Payton, a fifth-round rookie, remains the other quarterback option as coach Nick Sirianni tries to keep the Eagles’ playoff streak alive.
Sirianni has guided Philadelphia to the postseason in each of his first five years. For now, the immediate task is stabilizing an injury-hit roster while Hurts focuses on recovery.
