The Eagles will be without their top two linebackers as they host the Giants on Christmas Day.
Zach Cunningham will miss his second straight game after being ruled out with a knee injury on Saturday. And Nicholas Morrow (abdomen) will also miss this game after missing practice all week. He was limited coming into Monday.
Morrow worked out during early pregame warmups but isn’t able to go.
The Eagles’ top linebackers in this game will be mid-season addition Shaq Leonard and undrafted rookie Ben VanSumeren. But the Eagles also elevated Brandon Smith from the practice squad and used Patrick Johnson at off-ball linebacker in practice this week.
Here’s a complete look at Eagles’ inactives for this game:
CB Darius Slay (knee)
LB Zach Cunningham (knee)
LB Nicholas Morrow (abdomen)
LG Landon Dickerson (thumb)
QB Tanner McKee
RB Rashaad Penny
TE Albert Okwuegbunam
The Eagles ruled out three players on Saturday. Darius Slay had arthroscopic knee surgery a couple weeks ago and will miss his second straight game. Slay, 32, on Friday confirmed that he does expect to return soon. Without him on Monday, expect rookie Kelee Ringo to start and rotate with Eli Ricks across from James Bradberry.
This past week, Dickerson had surgery on his thumb. Like Slay, Dickerson was not put on IR and is expected to return for the playoffs. In his place, the Eagles are expected to start veteran Sua Opeta, who played right guard for Cam Jurgens last week. Jurgens (pectoral) will make his return after missing a game.
The two players the Eagles elevated for this game, LB Brandon Smith and DB Tristin McCollum, are both active for this game. This is McCollum’s second of three possible elevations from the practice squad. Smith will make his Eagles debut in this game. The fourth-round pick out of Penn State played in 12 games with 1 start with the Panthers in 2022.
