Long Forgotten Eagle Reappears on Surprise Practice Squad

Philadelphia Eagles fans can kick back and relax this weekend because Nick Sirianni & Co. already handled their Week 11 business with Thursday's blowout win over the Washington Commanders. Without a game to look forward to on Sunday, now's a good time to check in to see what certain former Eagles are up to.

One former Philadelphia player who fans may have forgotten about is Jordan Matthews. The ex-Vanderbilt pass-catcher spent three separate stints with the Eagles between 2014 and 2019 after being drafted by the franchise in the second round a decade ago.

Matthews, who began his career as a wide receiver, has spent the last year in and out of the Carolina Panthers organization. He was released by the Panthers on Tuesday so that they could activate WR Adam Thielen from the injured reserve, leaving time to tell where Matthews would continue his career.

Eagles News: Panthers Re-Sign Jordan Matthews to Practice Squad

It turns out that Matthews' departure from the Panthers didn't last long. The Charlotte Observer's Mike Kaye is reporting that Carolina has already re-signed the former 2014 second-rounder to the practice squad in a move that was "expected," according to the franchise insider.

The Panthers clearly like Matthews as this marks his third practice squad stint with the team in 2024 alone. The Madison, AL native first joined the unit back in October 2023 and has gone on to play five games in a Carolina jersey with four of those outings coming this season.

The three-time 800-yard playmaker has played a total of 87 snaps in 2024 with the majority of them coming on special teams (61). He's only been targeted once across his 26 offensive snaps, which was a pass he failed to catch.

When being a wideout didn't work out anymore, Matthews switched over to tight end while with the San Francisco 49ers prior to the 2021 campaign. He put on about 30 pounds of weight as he hoped the positional change would benefit his career. Unfortunately, he never got a real chance to gain momentum because he tore his ACL before the season even began.

With his injury woes behind him and a new lease on life, Matthews has the opportunity to face his former employer for the first time in his career in a few weeks. The Eagles will host the Panthers at Lincoln Financial Field in Week 14, giving Matthews just under a month to prove that he belongs in the lineup when the showdown arrives.

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