Eagles WRs take on ‘next-man-up mentality’ with A.J. Brown, DeVonta Smith sidelined with injuries

At one point during Sunday’s game against the New Orleans Saints, Jalen Hurts looked around the huddle and took note of the different faces that stared back at him.

Many of his typical companions were absent. A.J. Brown missed a second straight game because of a hamstring injury. DeVonta Smith exited in the fourth quarter with a concussion. Lane Johnson suffered one in the second. Mekhi Becton tore a ligament his left ring finger in the second quarter that sidelined him for the rest of the game. Britain Covey injured his shoulder, leading to his placement on injured reserve on Tuesday.

“But the game goes on,” Hurts said Wednesday. “It’s truly a next-man-up mentality.”

The Eagles may have to channel that mindset for a second week. Four days before their wild-card rematch against the Tampa Bay Buccaneers, Brown, Smith, and Johnson were listed as nonparticipants on Wednesday’s injury report. The participation statuses were estimations because the Eagles held a walk-through instead of a practice.

Saquon Barkley said after the walk-through that he’s not certain who’s playing and who isn’t just yet. Still, the running back is no stranger to being the focal point of an offense after his tenure with the New York Giants, a team that ranked in the bottom third of the league in passing yards in four of his six seasons.

His workload in Philadelphia through three weeks has been more substantial, even with the talent among the Eagles skill positions. Barkley, who leads the league with 351 rushing yards, is up to 21 carries per game, which is an increase from his 16.2 average with the Giants. Barkley said his body doesn’t feel any different, despite his spike in carries.

“You can have games where you have 10 touches and be more sore than games you had 30 touches,” Barkley said. “It’s all about the hits. It’s all about the shots you take. It’s all about the type of game it is. I’ve been fortunate enough that through the first three games, my body feels still pretty good.”

The offense can’t run through Barkley alone. Dallas Goedert was the most-targeted Eagles receiver against the Saints, posting 10 receptions for 170 yards on 11 targets. His 170 receiving yards were the most by an Eagles tight end since Pete Retzlaff had 204 in a 1965 game.

Barkley’s second touchdown of the day, which sealed the victory for the Eagles, was set up earlier in the drive by a 61-yard catch-and-run reception by Goedert, who was schemed open thanks to a mesh concept executed by Jahan Dotson.

The 24-year-old receiver whom the Eagles acquired from the Washington Commanders on Aug. 22 has gradually seen his playing time increase since the start of the season, taking 63 snaps (88%) against the Saints. Dotson expressed an understanding that the attrition among the receiving corps could lead to continued opportunities for depth players like himself, Johnny Wilson, and Parris Campbell.

“It’s forcing people to step up in positions that they haven’t been in,” Dotson said. “I think we’re ready for it, especially the guys in this receiver room, talking specifically me, Parris, Johnny Wilson. Guys who are capable of making plays, and I think they’re going to be able to showcase their talent and what they can do. And I know I’m able to do the same thing. I’m excited for it and I’m ready for it.”

Wilson also played a season-high 33% of snaps, a substantial chunk of which came in the fourth quarter following the hit to Smith. The sixth-round rookie receiver out of Florida State acknowledged the importance of learning each position and taking mental reps, even when the starters are healthy, in preparation for moments like this.

He learned the hard way against the Saints. Kellen Moore said Tuesday that some depth receivers had to run a few plays that they hadn’t before, aside from watching other players run them over the last few weeks.

Wilson echoed his offensive coordinator’s comments, noting that there were instances during the two-minute drill at the end of the first half in which he “didn’t know some of the stuff that [he] had to do.” That experience is informing his approach to the week of preparation leading up to the Bucs game.

“Just trying to attack the playbook even more, just knowing the insides, the outs, trying to know what Jalen’s thinking,” Wilson said. “Trying to know what the line is thinking on certain plays, run plays, stuff like that. Trying to be on the same page with everybody. So I feel like that’s the step I’m trying to take this week.”

Unlike Dotson, Wilson has the benefit of time spent with Hurts developing chemistry, a task that began before training camp. The 6-foot-6, 228-pound receiver linked up with Hurts in Orlando and in Houston in the offseason for throwing sessions and established a sense of familiarity that has carried over into the season.

“He has to trust you in order to feel comfortable, to make plays,” Wilson said. “I feel like once numbers start going down, and then it’s like, ‘OK, we’ve worked this before. We’ve repped this. We’ve got all these reps in the summer.’

“It makes it a lot more easier to go out there and play fast. He’s got a sense of how you’re going to break, how you’re going to run, what you’re thinking, what he’s thinking. Those reps over the summer were just as important as the ones we got in camp.”

Becton, who was listed as a limited participant on Wednesday’s injury report, said he will play against the Buccaneers. The right guard wore a cast on his left ring finger during the walk-through and had it taped up in the locker room afterward.

Left guard Landon Dickerson (wrist) also was listed as a limited participant. Cornerback Darius Slay, who exited Sunday’s game after taking a late hit out of bounds, was a full participant on the injury report. He was listed as dealing with a knee injury.

» READ MORE: Eagles’ Darius Slay talks about the ‘dirty hit’ he took from a Saint, says he underwent an MRI

Although Johnson was not listed as a participant on the injury report, he was present at the walk-through, doing stretches off to the side. Neither Smith nor Brown was present. Khristian Boyd, the Saints defensive tackle who delivered the blow to Smith that left him with a concussion, reportedly was fined $4,600.