Reed Blankenship is part of a hobbled Eagles defense for Monday’s wild card game
Blankenship, who is dealing with a groin injury, was listed as questionable to play Saturday. However, head coach Nick Sirianni said there’s a chance the safety will suit up to play
Going into Monday night’s wild-card matchup against the Tampa Bay Buccaneers, the Eagles are a bit banged up on the back end of their defense.
Safety Reed Blankenship, who is dealing with a groin injury, was listed as questionable on Saturday. He did not participate in practice all week after sustaining the injury in the season finale against the New York Giants. However, head coach Nick Sirianni said Saturday that there’s a chance Blankenship will play.
“He’s progressing,” Sirianni said. “He’s got a chance, probably be a little bit more of a game-time decision with him, but he’s going to go out there and work [on Saturday]. We’ll see how he feels. We’ll work him again [on Sunday], probably work out on the field on Monday night. And so we’re hopeful that he can go, but we’ll see.”
Blankenship, who is in his second year with the Eagles, started all 15 of the games that he was active for this season. He missed Week 2 against the Minnesota Vikings and Week 7 against the Miami Dolphins due to different rib injuries.
Typically, the Eagles would turn to the next man on the depth chart to fill in alongside fellow starter Kevin Byard. However, safety Sydney Brown sustained a season-ending ACL tear on special teams against the Giants.
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With Blankenship missing practice this week, Byard implied Friday that slot cornerback Avonte Maddox could be his fill-in. At the very least, Maddox has been taking reps alongside Byard in practice, according to the eighth-year veteran safety. On Friday, Byard said, “I very confident with Vonte back there that we’ll be able to spin things pretty good.”
However, Sirianni wasn’t as keen on confirming the Eagles’ back-up plan at safety, stating that Maddox cross-training at the position isn’t new.
“Avonte has flexibility,” Sirianni said. “So, we rep guys at different spots throughout the week to make sure that ... different than college football, we can only have 50 guys up, 48 or whatever it is. So, you have to rep different guys at different spots.”
With Sydney Brown expected to go on injured reserve before Monday night’s game, the Eagles will have an extra roster spot to bolster their depth at safety. Tristin McCollum is the lone safety on the Eagles’ practice squad. The Eagles may opt to sign McCollum to the active 53-man roster. Practice-squad elevations also reset at the end of the regular season, and even though McCollum was elevated three times, the Eagles can do so again without any limits during the playoffs.
Injury report
Quarterback Jalen Hurts, who has been dealing with an injury to his right middle finger, is available to play against the Buccaneers.
Hurts was not on the final injury report Saturday. After participating in practice in a limited capacity Thursday, Hurts was a full participant Friday and Saturday. Hurts had injured the middle finger on his throwing hand in the second quarter of the Eagles’ loss to the Giants, but he returned on the ensuing possession until the starters were pulled toward the end of the first half.
Additionally, wide receiver DeVonta Smith (knee), running back D’Andre Swift (illness), cornerback Darius Slay (knee), and wide receiver Britain Covey (groin) are available. Slay missed the last four games while recovering from arthroscopic knee surgery. Neither Smith nor Swift played in the Eagles’ season finale against the Giants due to their respective ailments.
As for the Buccaneers, quarterback Baker Mayfield is listed as questionable to play while dealing with ankle and rib injuries. He did not practice Thursday and was listed as a limited participant Friday and Saturday.
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The Eagles will visit the Tampa Bay Buccaneers in the wild-card round of the playoffs on Monday. Join Eagles beat reporters Olivia Reiner and EJ Smith as they dissect the hottest storylines surrounding the team on Gameday Central, live from Raymond James Stadium.