Eagles place Jalen Hurts on injured reserve as McKee prepares to start

The Philadelphia Eagles placed Jalen Hurts on injured reserve on Saturday, October 17, after the quarterback was diagnosed with a superficial blood clot in his calf. The team confirmed the move in a roster announcement and said Tanner McKee is set to start against the Carolina Panthers at Lincoln Financial Field on Sunday.

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Hurts must miss at least four games, but that minimum absence does not establish when he will be ready to return. The Philadelphia Inquirer reported that the Eagles had not set a recovery timeline while the appropriate treatment was being determined. His move to injured reserve follows Thursday's announcement that he would not play against Carolina.

In their earlier medical statement, the Eagles said Hurts first sought treatment after practice on October 8. He told staff that a cleat had struck his calf during the October 4 game against the Los Angeles Rams. He received further treatment and practised fully the following day before the team travelled to London to face Jacksonville.

An ultrasound after the flight and Saturday walkthrough identified the clot, according to the Eagles. The club said its medical staff and doctors in London reviewed the findings and judged that he could play safely. They recommended another scan within 72 hours of the game and the return flight. Hurts played without restrictions, then received treatment on Monday and Tuesday and practised fully on Wednesday. That evening's follow-up ultrasound showed movement in the clot.

Philadelphia filled the vacant active-roster position by signing running back Jaydon Blue from its practice squad. The team said Blue could make his Eagles debut against Carolina. A fifth-round Dallas selection in the 2025 draft, he joined Philadelphia's practice squad on September 1 after being waived by the Cowboys during final roster cuts.

The Eagles also elevated outside linebacker Keyshawn James-Newby and safety Cole Wisniewski from the practice squad for Sunday's game. Both are rookies who would be making their NFL debuts if they appear. Those additional changes accompany the quarterback switch as Philadelphia prepares to face the Panthers without Hurts.