Eagles’ Nick Sirianni won’t rule Jalen Hurts out, but the QB missed practice once again
The coach says there's a chance Hurts can play against the Saints, but how much of a chance remains in question as his shoulder sprain recovery remains in progress.
On Jalen Hurts, Nick Sirianni had more of the same with his midweek update.
The Eagles coach didn’t offer much Wednesday when discussing his quarterback’s sprained right shoulder before the first walk-through practice of the week. Instead, he reiterated that Hurts’ healing abilities are “different” enough to justify avoiding any definitive statements about his status going into this Sunday’s game against the New Orleans Saints.
“We’ll see how he progresses throughout the week,” Sirianni said. “Does he have a chance? Of course he does. His body just knows how to heal, he’s a freak. So we’ll see what happens and how he progresses.”
Hurts isn’t a superhero, Sirianni conceded when pressed about the quarterback’s allegedly freakish healing properties, but he is younger and more physically gifted than an average sports reporter.
“If you guys went up and shot baskets together, he’d whoop you,” Sirianni said to one reporter, jokingly. “If you guys went out and raced against each other, he’d whoop you. If you guys went out and, let’s see, tried to throw a football to see who was more accurate or threw further, he’d whoop you. So his body heals faster.”
Sirianni had a similar message last week when discussing Hurts’ status, but the 24-year-old missed that entire week of practice and was ruled out two days before the game. The early returns suggest this week could be more of the same. Hurts was listed as a non-participant on Wednesday’s injury report, although it’s important to note the Eagles held a walk-through and the report is an estimation. When news of Hurts’ injury first surfaced after he took a hard hit against the Chicago Bears on Dec. 18 was that it could sideline him for at least two games if not longer, and things seem to be heading that direction.
Hurts is dealing with an SC joint sprain, according to league source who confirmed an ESPN report. The affected area, where the collarbone meets the sternum, is closer to the chest area and less common than AC joint sprains, which are closer to the shoulder.
There are fewer examples of players dealing with sprains in that area, but Ben Roethlisberger had a similar injury in 2012 and missed three weeks. SC joint sprains, depending on the severity, can also present a risk of more serious complications if a player returns too quickly.
The Eagles did not make Hurts or backup quarterback Gardner Minshew available for a press conference Wednesday because of the fluidity surrounding Hurts’ status. If Hurts is ruled out, Minshew will make his second start of the season.
Minshew played reasonably well in the Eagles’ 40-34 loss to the Dallas Cowboys on Saturday, going 24-for-40 and throwing for 355 yards with two touchdowns and two interceptions.
“I felt like Gardner did a really good job,” Eagles receiver A.J. Brown said. “He controlled the game when he needed to. He got the ball out and he commanded the offense.”
» READ MORE: Taking Jalen Hurts’ place, Gardner Minshew misses an opportunity in Dallas, but Eagles are keeping the faith
Eagles offensive coordinator Shane Steichen added, “I thought Gardner was really efficient throwing the football. He got the ball out of his hands quickly, really efficient on third down, made some really good plays. ... Overall, really strong performance by him.”
The Eagles can clinch the No. 1 seed and the first-round bye week that comes with it with a win in either of the next two games. Doing so against the 6-9 Saints would give the Eagles a chance to rest their main contributors in the final regular-season game against the New York Giants and the following week, which would be significant considering lingering injuries to Hurts, Lane Johnson (torn core muscle), and C.J. Gardner-Johnson. Running back Miles Sanders also missed practice Wednesday with a knee injury and Brown was limited with his own knee injury.
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Gardner-Johnson is eligible to return to practice this week after missing four games with a lacerated kidney suffered last month, but the Eagles have yet to open the 21-day window for him. The team’s track record has been to open the window before the first practice of the week, suggesting that Gardner-Johnson is unlikely to make his return to game action this week.
The safety has been around the facility more in the last few weeks and was in the locker room Wednesday. Sirianni said Gardner-Johnson is progressing but wouldn’t say when he’d return to practice.
“I know he’s feeling better,” Sirianni said. “I know he’s on the road to recovery and it will be good to get him back when he’s able to get back.”