After spending Week 9 on a bye, the Philadelphia Eagles are making their way back to the practice facility this week, as they prepare to face the Green Bay Packers on Monday Night Football to wrap Week 10.
Eagles fans are excited to see what this revamped defense looks like after the acquisition of 26-year-old pass rusher Jaelan Phillips from the Miami Dolphins on Monday. However, the vibes aren't all positive in the City of Brotherly Love, as fans are also wondering if star wide receiver A.J. Brown will be ready to go after he missed Week 8 with a hamstring injury.
Since the Eagles are playing on Monday night, their first day of practice likely won’t be until Thursday. That said, Philadelphia is bolstering its wide receiver depth, just in case there are any setbacks with the veteran receiver.
Dave Zangaro of NBC Sports Philadelphia reported on Monday that the Eagles signed Danny Gray to their practice squad and released guard Sua Opeta. Gray is back with the club after he was released in August during training camp.
Eagles Proceeding with Caution Until Clear Update on A.J. Brown’s Status
The 26-year-old Gray spent all of last season with the Eagles on the practice squad after getting waived by the San Francisco 49ers. Philadelphia signed Gray to a futures deal after the Super Bowl in February, which afforded him a chance to compete for a spot on the 53-man roster, but an injury derailed that.
With Gray now in the fold, the Eagles have four wide receivers on the practice squad, which is more than enough options at their disposal to elevate to the active roster in case of an injury.
In their last game before the Week 9 bye, the Eagles activated undrafted free agent WR Darius Cooper from injured reserve to take Brown’s spot on gameday. Cooper did not record any targets or receptions, but played a season-high 26 offensive snaps.
Brown did not practice in the days leading up to the Giants’ game in Week 8, so the hope is that he can at least be a limited participant on the first day back later this week. If Brown can play, it will put Philadelphia’s passing game at full strength against a Packers’ cornerback room that has some question marks.
But if he’s limited in any way, the Eagles have enough talent on the 53-man roster, along with the depth on the practice squad, to fill the void for the short term.