PHILADELPHIA – Jalen Hurts stood on the field with his helmet on, swinging his arms back and forth and clapping his hands watching his backup Kenny Pickett take all the reps during QB-receiver drills early in Wednesday’s practice. The Eagles quarterback had the day off.
He was listed as limited due to rest. The quarterback said he is fine physically. Nothing to worry about, though Hurts never takes “rest” days.
“I just do what I’m told,” he said about why the rest day now.
It could be because the Eagles will play two straight NFC East games in four days beginning Sunday against the fading Cowboys, followed by a visit from the first-place Commanders on Thursday night.
The media is only allowed to watch the first 15 minutes or so of practice, and Hurts said afterward that "it was a really good session when you guys weren’t out there. …I’m just locking in, and doing what I’m asked to do when I’m asked to do it.”
Saquon Barkley also took a day of rest and was also listed as limited. Earlier in the day, the running back picked up his third NFC Offensive Player of the Year award in just his eighth game with the Eagles. He won the award three times in six seasons with the Giants.
Barkley, who is second in the league in rushing with 925 yards, behind the Ravens’ Derrick Henry, who has 1,052, also earned his first FedEx Air & Ground Player of the Week of the season, doing so on his fourth nomination this year.
Wednesday’s practice was a walkthrough, so the injury report is just an estimation, but listed as not practicing were DeVonta Smith (hamstring), Nolan Smith (groin), and Ben VanSumeren (concussion) did not practice on Wednesday.
Hamstrings are always a concern since one sidelined receiver A.J. Brown for three games and tight end Dallas Goedert has missed three games with an injured one.
The good news is that Goedert looks to be on track to return against the Cowboys after missing three straight games with a hamstring injury. He was listed as a full participant.
Johnson wants Jags safety Andre Cisco fined for the illegal hit he delivered on the left tackle’s knee as Jalen Hurts was running into the end zone for a touchdown.
“Saturday we’ll know if he got fined,” said Johnson. “If not, we need to talk to the league. It hurts.”
That said, Johnson is preparing to play against the Cowboys.
“I feel good about Sunday,” he said. “It’s leaning toward that way. …That hit could have been way worse than what it looked like on film. I just saw him drop and I lifted up my leg trying to fall over him. They said if my foot was planted, I could have been out for the year.”
