The Eagles do not plan to place quarterback Jalen Hurts on injured reserve, even though he is out indefinitely with a blood clot in his leg. ESPN cited sources. Ian Rapoport and Adam Schefter reported it jointly, per a post relayed on r/nfl. They described the clot as superficial.
NFL Trade Rumors said the team had earlier issued a statement through Rapoport. The excerpt we have begins: "On Thursday, October 8th, Jalen visited the training room after practice." The feed cuts off there, so we can't say what the statement said about his diagnosis or treatment. None of the summaries we have gives a return date or says what the injury means for his availability. "Out indefinitely" is the only timeline any outlet offers. Pro Football Talk and Yahoo Sports use the same phrase.
The decision matters because of how IR works, though the reporting doesn't spell out the Eagles' reasoning. We don't know why they prefer to keep him on the active roster, and we won't guess. A player placed on IR must miss a set number of games. The reports describe the opposite approach, which is to leave the door open without a fixed absence.
Hurts's 2026 numbers show a quarterback who was struggling before the clot surfaced. In five games he has completed 89 of 154 passes (57.8%) for 933 yards, eight touchdowns and three interceptions, with a passer rating of 84.7. He has been sacked 13 times. His last two outings were his thinnest. He threw for 93 yards on 12-of-27 passing against the Rams on Oct. 4, with four sacks. He threw for 220 yards on 21-of-40 passing at Jacksonville on Oct. 11, with two fumbles. He also has 107 rushing yards and a touchdown on 23 carries.
The team around him has slipped. Philadelphia is 2-3 and on a three-game losing streak: 27-7 at Chicago, 24-20 against the Rams, and 19-17 at Jacksonville. Its run differential is minus 20. The Eagles sit second in the NFC East, 1.5 games behind the Giants (3-1), and level with Dallas at 2-3. The division is still within reach, but not if the losing continues.
Sun, Oct 18, 1:00 PM ET
The next test is Sunday, Oct. 18, when the Eagles host the Panthers (2-2). Nothing in the reporting says who will start in Hurts's place, and we have no confirmation of his status beyond "out indefinitely." Whether he stays off IR will matter more as the weeks pass without a return date.
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