The Eagles got one starter back at practice on Thursday.
Receiver Jordan Matthews (ankle) was back at practice inside the bubble after being held out on Wednesday. Doug Pederson previously said he expected Matthews to be fine for the game in Cincinnati on Sunday.
Matthews hurt his ankle during the loss to the Packers on Monday night. He went to the locker room for X-rays that came back negative. He briefly re-entered the game, but had to leave again.
The Eagles could clearly use Matthews on Sunday. Without him, their receivers haven’t done much this season.
While Matthews returned, running back Ryan Mathews (knee) is still not practicing. Mathews hurt his knee against Seattle and missed the Packers game.
If Mathews can’t play on Sunday, which is increasingly more likely, rookie Wendell Smallwood could see an extended role. Smallwood carried the ball just nine times against the Packers, but the team had just 18 carries total.
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Right tackle Halapoulivaati Vaitai is still out with his left MCL sprain and is considered “week to week.” Vaitai’s injury is more significant, so the Eagles are planning this week without him. That means Allen Barbre will play right tackle, while Stefen Wisniewski fills in at left guard.
Vaitai had been starting in place of the suspended Lane Johnson, who will be free of his 10-game suspension for the last two weeks of the season. If Vaitai doesn’t get healthy quickly, he might have already started the last game of his rookie season.
