Why Eagles don't have to rush to put Jalen Hurts on IR amid blood clot issue

The Philadelphia Eagles have been dealing with a string of unfortunate news lately. First, Lane Johnson retired, and then Jalen Hurts was diagnosed with a serious blood clot. Now, the Eagles face a decision about what to do with Hurts. Will they place him on injured reserve? As of now, the team has not done so, and they don't plan to before Week 6. Jonathan Jones of The Athletic has shed some light on why the Eagles can afford to wait on this decision.

According to Jones, the Eagles don't necessarily have to make a roster move on Hurts. With practice-squad rules and several other injuries, Philadelphia could opt to keep Hurts on the active roster through the weekend to gather more information about his condition. The team has plenty of roster space and can afford to be patient for at least one more week with Hurts.

The key for the Eagles right now is to buy time to determine the full scope of Hurts' prognosis. It's possible that he might be out for an extended period, which would force him to miss through Week 11 after the team's bye week. However, that would only happen if the issue turns out to be serious. There's also a chance that this is not a long-term problem and can be resolved quickly.

Delaying the decision to place Hurts on IR can also provide a clearer picture of the team's future in the NFC East and the playoff race. If the Eagles lose in Week 6, drop to 2-4, and the New York Giants and Dallas Cowboys win, their situation could change significantly. The team won't rush Hurts back from this blood clot issue, but if it seems that he might miss too much time, they could place him on IR and focus on the 2026 season.