Eagles injuries: DeVonta Smith ruled out vs Rams as roster spot opens for WR to replace him


Eagles injuries: DeVonta Smith ruled out vs Rams as roster spot opens for WR to replace him

PHILADELPHIA - Eagles wide receiver DeVonta Smith won't play Sunday night against the Rams after missing his third straight day of practice with a hamstring injury.

Smith apparently reinjured his hamstring last Thursday against the Washington Commanders. Smith first popped up on the injury report after the game against the Jacksonville Jaguars on Nov. 3. He missed a practice that Wednesday and played in the next two games.

Smith played 89% of the snaps and had four catches for 29 yards in the Eagles' 26-18 win over Washington. For the season, Smith has 41 catches for 516 yards and four TDs. He leads the Eagles in receptions and trails only A.J. Brown (618) in receiving yards.

Brown, who missed three games earlier in the season with a hamstring, and Smith have been together for the season-opener, and every game during the Eagles' current six-game winning streak. That makes the Eagles 7-0 when they're together, 1-2 when they're not.

"I think the challenge is always going to be, just going out there and executing regardless of who's on the field," Brown said Friday.

It's expected that Jahan Dotson will replace Smith.

It's also possible that the Eagles will activate WR Britain Covey off injured reserve. They placed edge rusher Bryce Huff on IR on Friday afternoon, freeing up a roster spot for Covey, who was listed as questionable.

Huff had wrist surgery Thursday. Covey suffered a shoulder injury against New Orleans on Sept. 22. He had his 21-day practice window opened this week.

As for Brown, he should see extra attention from the Rams with Smith not playing, even though he didn't necessarily want to admit that.

"I'm not giving you what you're looking for," Brown said when asked about that.

Dotson, whom the Eagles traded for in late August, has had a bigger role in the offense lately. He has nine catches for 106 yards this season, but 71 of those yards have come in the last three games. Rookie Johnny Wilson, the Eagles' sixth-round draft pick, could also see a bigger role.

"Both of them have made some big plays in the past couple weeks," Eagles coach Nick Sirianni said. "Johnny catching his first touchdown pass (against Dallas on Nov. 10), Jahan catching a deep ball in the Jacksonville game, and then also the Dallas game. And then the things that we see in practice. These guys come to work hard every single day. They put it on the line every single day."

Everyone else, including QB Jalen Hurts, who was limited Wednesday for maintenance on his ankle, is cleared to play.

"He's good to go," Sirianni said. "Everybody's doing maintenance on their bodies at this time of the year. ... These guys are going through just such a long, grueling season, and we're in Week 12 right now. So a lot of guys are just continuing to do the extra things they need to do to be in it for the long haul."

Contact Martin Frank at [email protected]. Follow on X @Mfranknfl.

(This story was updated to add new information.)

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