Eagles Promote 2 Players for Christmas Day Game vs. Giants

The Philadelphia Eagles will be in action on Christmas desperately looking to snap their three-game losing streak. Philly's recent skid has taken the air out of this once-mighty contender, but a matchup versus the struggling New York Giants is one way to start getting back on track.

Nick Sirianni knows a win won't come easy, though, so he's made sure to bolster his gameday roster before kickoff.

On Sunday, the Eagles promoted defensive back Tristin McCollum and linebacker Brandon Smith from the practice squad for Week 16. These two will now provide depth to Sirianni's squad on the holiday and could end up having a role for this festive affair.

McCollum, primarily a safety, is in his second year out of college. After spending the 2022 campaign with the Houston Texans, he came over to Philadelphia this offseason. The Sam Houston State product made his NFL debut with the Eagles in Week 4, when he was elevated to provide help on special teams (65% of snaps played).

Meanwhile, Smith was a fourth-round draft pick by the Carolina Panthers in 2022. He suited up in 12 games for Carolina as a rookie, but an ankle injury ended up cutting his first year short and he was waived in the offseason. He then landed with Philadelphia, but will make his official team debut on Christmas.

Considering the Eagles' health situation right now, it's no wonder they called up players at these two hurting positions. Philly is set to be without corners Darius Slay and Avonte Maddox on Monday, while LB Zach Cunningham has been ruled out as well and fellow linebacker Nicholas Morrow is questionable.

With a few rosters questions to solve before the playoffs. both McCollum and Smith have a chance to make their cases for more playing time with a strong performance on Christmas. We'll see if either player seizes this holiday opportunity.

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