PHILADELPHIA — Jalen Hurts was listed as doubtful for Sunday’s game against the Saints and, according to a league source, is unlikely to play because of his shoulder injury.
The Eagles quarterback, dealing with a sprained SC joint in his throwing shoulder, was limited in practice on Friday and threw the ball well the day before, but he is expected to be held out to ensure he’s fully healthy for the playoffs. As a result, backup quarterback Gardner Minshew is set to make his second start of the season.
Eagles coach Nick Sirianni refrained from making any definitive statements about Hurts’ status before Friday’s practice. Hurts has been pushing to play and has gotten closer to being ready, but Sirianni noted that the decision would be made with the training staff’s voice prominently considered.
“He’s going to want to be out there no matter what,” Sirianni said. “So he’s going to say, in my opinion, he’s going to say what he needs to say to play. But that’s why it’s a group effort to figure it out, right? Again, Jalen’s health is the first thing you think of. We all have to be responsible for that.
“So that’s why it’s not just one guy’s decision,” he added. “If it was just Jalen’s decision on this, of course, he would go out and play. He would go out and play with way worse things maybe just because we know how tough is.”
Hurts made his limited return to practice Thursday after suffering the injury against the Chicago Bears on Dec. 18. The 24-year-old’s throwing form seemed unaffected by the injured shoulder, but being able to withstand contact with the injury will be the next step. Hurts was held out of a few drills Thursday, most notably a ball-security circuit in which players are hit with boxing gloves.
“The velocity of the ball was good,” Sirianni said. “The accuracy was good and he felt good. Those are the main things, and that’s what you want to see.
“It’s got to be everything,” Sirianni added later. “He’s got to be OK to throw. He’s got to be — he ain’t wearing a red jersey on Sunday. We won’t ask to do that.”
During the parts of practice closed to the media, Minshew apparently took the majority of the team reps, according to several Eagles players. Minshew spoke with reporters Friday while Hurts was not made available. The 26-year-old deferred to Sirianni’s noncommittal answer when asked if he’d play Sunday, but noted he’d be ready to go if he’s called upon.
Minshew made his first start of the season last week in the loss to the Cowboys and went 24 for 40 for 355 yards, two touchdowns, and two interceptions.
“We moved the ball well,” Minshew said. “I thought we did some really good things. Just got to take care of the ball, at the end of the day; that’s what beat us and we know we got to fix it. There’s a lot of good to work on and build on, too.”
Either way, the stalling from the Eagles is representative of the progress Hurts made this week. Sirianni ruled Hurts out two days before the Cowboys game last week after Hurts missed the entire week of practice. The Eagles can clinch the No. 1 seed and the first-round bye week that comes with it with one more win this season, but Hurts has a chance to return as early as next week for the regular-season finale against the New York Giants.
The Eagles could also clinch the conference’s top spot if the San Francisco 49ers, Minnesota Vikings, and Dallas Cowboys each lose one game. With injuries lingering for Hurts, right tackle Lane Johnson, and safety C.J. Gardner-Johnson, a win against the Saints would offer the Eagles’ starters an opportunity for extended time off going into the divisional playoff round, although it’s possible the team would want Hurts to get a couple of series of action to combat rust.
Sirianni was also noncommittal about the team’s plan to replace Johnson, who is expected to miss the rest of the regular season with an abdominal injury. The team could put reserve lineman Jack Driscoll at right tackle or insert Andre Dillard either at right tackle or left tackle with Jordan Mailata switching sides.
Driscoll is the likely choice, but Sirianni cited gamesmanship as a reason not to say which direction they’d go in.
“You have really three good options,” Sirianni said. “... That’s a good thing, that we have options and credit to Howie [Roseman] and his staff that we do have options and the depth that we have.”
