Barkley Cleared to Play as Eagles Rule Out Five for Sunday Night Game at Washington
Philadelphia Eagles running back Saquon Barkley carries no game-status designation on the team’s final Week 8 injury report and is set to play Sunday night against the Washington Commanders. The Eagles issued the report on Friday, Oct. 30, ahead of the game on Sunday, Nov. 1, at 8:20 p.m. ET in Landover, Maryland.
A player with no designation is not listed as out, doubtful or questionable. Barkley missed practice on Wednesday and Thursday with hamstring and back injuries and returned Friday as a limited participant. The hamstring is the muscle at the back of the thigh. USA Today Eagles Wire reported that Barkley did not receive a game-status designation, putting him on track to play Sunday night.
Barkley himself said he will likely be on a pitch count, a planned limit on how many plays he takes part in. Delaware Online reported his admission after Friday’s practice. Asked whether he would play against Washington, Barkley said, “I would hope so. I believe that I’ll be able to.”
He explained his thinking in his own words. “There’s one day I’m not going to be playing football,” Barkley said, according to Delaware Online. “Whenever that is, I don’t want to look back and be like, ‘I could’ve given it a chance and I didn’t.'”
Barkley returned Monday night against the Dallas Cowboys after missing the previous two games with a hamstring injury. USA Today Eagles Wire reported that he suffered a back injury in the 38-21 loss to Dallas. Delaware Online reported that Barkley tweaked the hamstring on his first carry against Dallas and said he then hurt his back by trying to overcompensate. He was limited to nine snaps in that game.
Five Eagles players were ruled out on the final report. Wide receivers DeVonta Smith, with a hamstring injury, and Dontayvion Wicks, with an ankle injury, were ruled out, along with wide receiver Britain Covey, with a knee injury, linebacker Jihaad Campbell, with hamstring and quadriceps injuries, and cornerback Jonathan Jones, with a hamstring injury. USA Today Eagles Wire reported that all five missed practice all week. Smith and Wicks will miss a second straight game, Delaware Online reported.
The absences leave Philadelphia thin at wide receiver. NBC Sports Philadelphia reported that the available receivers for the game will be Makai Lemon, Darius Cooper, Elijah Moore and Hollywood Brown. USA Today Eagles Wire reported that Lemon caught his first career touchdown against Dallas and that his role has expanded as the injury problems have increased. At linebacker, USA Today Eagles Wire reported that Jeremiah Trotter Jr. is set to receive additional snaps alongside Zack Baun in Campbell’s absence.
Cornerback Jakorian Bennett is the only other Eagle with a game-status designation. He is listed as questionable with a knee injury, which means his availability remains uncertain. USA Today Eagles Wire reported that Bennett practiced fully on Friday but has been working toward a return from injured reserve and would need to be activated before playing against Washington.
The Eagles also received encouraging news on defense. Linebacker Nolan Smith practiced fully on Friday and carries no game-status designation after missing the Cowboys game with a concussion. The Philadelphia Eagles website reported that Smith cleared concussion protocol and that he suffered the concussion against the Carolina Panthers in Week 6.
Philadelphia enters the game at 2-5 on a five-game losing streak. Washington enters at 1-4-1. The final injury report leaves Barkley available, five players out and Bennett questionable for the NFC East game on Sunday night.
