If you were seeking answers of substance to all things Eagles approaching their regular season finale, Nick Sirianni was on hand to avoid them Monday.
In a media Zoom call that apparently came too soon for informational purposes, Sirianni noted that…
• He’s “still not there” in knowing who will play and who would sit out a relatively meaningless game against the New York Giants Sunday at Lincoln Financial Field. That would include one Saquon Barkley, who needs 101 yards to set the NFL’s all-time single season rushing record.
• He likewise has “no new information there” when asked if No. 1 quarterback Jalen Hurts had cleared concussion protocol, eight days after sustaining one in a loss to Washington.
And as for whether he’d consider playing Hurts if he does clear concussion protocol this week, Sirianni said, “You take everything into account.”
• When asked about the status of backup QB Kenny Pickett, who had to leave a game early for the second straight Sunday due to a rib injury, Sirianni said, “We’ll see where he is as the week continues. Again, haven’t met with (medical officials) yet on the injuries or anything like that. So I’ll have more information for you the next time we talk.”
That would be Wednesday, with the Eagles surprisingly maintaining a normal week of practices and media availabilities despite the New Year’s holiday. That likely is part of Sirianni’s wish to keep things as normal as possible approaching this game against the Giants, despite the Eagles having won the NFC East title, and locked in to host a wild card game against either Washington or Green Bay sometime during the weekend of Jan. 11-13.
For now, however, the burning issues are simply whether the Eagles feel it best to give Barkley a chance at the record or instead rest him and avoid potential injury before the playoffs, along with whether they’d play Hurts just to give him some reps at quarterback … if he is cleared to play, that is.
“No new information there,” Sirianni said with nod toward Hurts and Pickett. “Haven’t met with our medical team yet. Still going through our game evaluations today, and then we’ll move on here to the Giants. But no new news for you guys on the injury front.”
So to clarify on these issues and little more…
“Obviously I gave the players off today. They’ll be back in a couple days,” Sirianni said. “By the next time I talk to you, they’ll be back in. So I’ll always inform them before I inform anyone else. … You take everything into account Try to do the best thing for the team and try to do the best thing for each individual player as well. So that’s where we’ll be. No decisions yet on anything.”
Source: Berkshire mont