Eagles
Eagles Shift Roster Spots With More IR Placements
Penn State Great Valley MBA, Penn State Berks Undergrad, Eagle Scout and Vigil Honor, IT Service Manager. I joined Sports Talk Philly in 2017 and root for all the Philly teams (as well as their minor league counter parts).
All posts by Paul BowmanPublished15 Sep 2020
By Paul Bowman, Sports Talk Philly Editor 
In the wake of yet another wave of seemingly unending injuries, the Eagles had to make some moves.
With captain Craig James and key veteran Vinny Curry suffereing “significant” injuries, it would have been no surprise to see them both wind up in IR.
The 2020 rules allow unlimited returns from IR after just three missed weeks, so even less significant injuries might see the placement.
On Tuesday, the Eagles made those moves officially by placing the pair on injured reserve.
Roster Move: #Eagles have signed G Sua Opeta from the practice squad to the active roster and signed TE Jordan Franks to the practice squad.#Eagles have placed DE Vinny Curry and CB Craig James on Reserve/Injured.
— Philadelphia Eagles (@Eagles) September 15, 2020
The Eagles then used an open spot to sign Sua Opeta back to the 53-man as they did in 2019.
Opeta has raw talent and was a bit of a surprising cut for the Eagles, but returns to the active roster after just one game.
After teams officially protected their four practice squad players, the Eagles swooped in to grab another offensive linemen from the Bears’ squad.
Roster Move: #Eagles have agreed to sign G Jamon Brown to the active roster from Chicago’s practice squad. pic.twitter.com/k9XXDYq5HG
— Philadelphia Eagles (@Eagles) September 15, 2020
Brown is a 2015 third-round pick of the Rams and has spent time with the Rams, Falcon, Giants and Bears.
His rookie season started on IR, but he came back and started the final nine games of the season for the Rams. He then appeared in 11 games his second year before starting all 16 for the team in 2017.
Brown was in like to start in 2018, but was suspended for substance abuse and that lead to him losing his starting role and being released before he was picked up and started the final eight games of the season for the Giants.
Though he signed a nearly $19 million deal with the Falcons in 2019, he was benched by the end of the season and released in August before he landed on the Bears practice squad.
The Eagles are likely banking on that potential at the start of his career or the value he has proven to hold as a reserve following the additional injury to Jack Driscoll in week one.
Oddly, the Eagles did not add a defensive end or corner. The cornerbacks on the 53-man are now down to Darius Slay, Avonte Maddox, Cre’Von LeBlanc and Nickell Robey-Coleman while the defensive end rotation is down to Derek Barnett, who missed week one’s game, Brandon Graham, who is in the concussion protocol, Josh Sweat and Genard Avery.
The loss of Shareef Miller would seem to haunt the team at this point, but they are luck to have Joe Ostman still on the practice squad. The team protected he and cornerback Trevor Williams this week, so it would not be a surprise to see the pair called op. They also protected TY McGill if they choose to play Malik Jackson outside.
