As injuries ransack the Eagles’ roster, the two-time reigning NFC East champions are home underdogs against the Cowboys tonight. Tanner McKee, however, will have some reinforcements as he prepares to make his second start in place of Jalen Hurts this season.
The Eagles activated three players from IR ahead of their Week 7 game. Landon Dickerson and tight ends Eli Stowers and Grant Calcaterra are back on the 53-man roster. Because Calcaterra was designated for return in August, his activation was already factored into the Eagles’ regular-season equation. The Dickerson and Stowers’ transactions, however, drop Philadelphia’s activation count to five.
Dickerson played in Week 1 but has been on IR since. A bone bruise in his knee moved the Pro Bowl guard off the roster; Dickerson had said soon after the IR placement he had been battling the issue since training camp and should not have played in the Eagles’ opener. He is now back, but much has changed in Philly during the high-priced left guard’s time away.
Hurts is out for the season because of his much-discussed blood clot issue, and two pillars from the Philly O-line who had lined up with Dickerson to open the season — right tackle Lane Johnson, center Cam Jurgens — are gone. Johnson retired before Week 5, and the Eagles soon traded Jurgens to the Ravens. Dickerson represents a welcome addition to an O-line in flux, but trade rumors have followed him as well.
Dickerson is believed to be disgruntled, and the 28-year-old blocker may be on the trade block. The Alabama product denied reports of retirement consideration this offseason, but the Eagles did remove a season from his contract in a transaction that also brought a pay cut. Dickerson played hurt last season, battling knee and ankle issues. He still played 16 games (counting Philly’s wild-card loss) and was a Pro Bowler from 2022-24. The Eagles have Dickerson tied to what is now a three-year, $58.5MM contract.
The Eagles will at least have three of their Week 1 starting O-line in uniform tonight, with Dickerson joining Jordan Mailata and Tyler Steen. The team will also see what Stowers looks like in game action. Stowers landed on IR before Week 1 with hamstring and quad issues. Philly drafted Stowers in the second round, identifying the Vanderbilt alum as a receiving option. Stowers could become Dallas Goedert’s heir apparent, with the sides agreeing on a one-year deal in March.
Philadelphia will have its top pieces at tight end together for the first time. Goedert returned from injury two weeks ago, but Calcaterra has been on IR all season. A back injury led the Eagles to use an IR-return designation on him in August.
Goedert, Stowers, Calcaterra and Johnny Mundt are in line to be Philly’s tight ends tonight; Zach Ertz is out of practice squad elevations and was not signed to the team’s active roster, per the Philadelphia Inquirer’s Jeff McLane. The Eagles also elevated running back Elijah Mitchell and outside linebacker Keyshawn James-Newby.