Eagles activate newcomer Bradley Roby for Rams, place Cam Jurgens on IR originally appeared on NBC Sports Philadelphia
Veteran slot corner Bradley Roby, who the Eagles just signed to the practice squad on Wednesday, has been elevated to the game-day roster and will be available to play against the Rams Sunday.
Roby was in training camp with the Saints but was released at the end of training camp. He was out of football until the Eagles brought him in this week.
The Eagles began the season with Avonte Maddox as the main slot, backed up by Zech McPhearson. Both are out, McPhearson for the season with an Achilles and Maddox most likely for the season with a torn pectoral muscle.
The Eagles have also used Sydney Brown and Mario Goodrich at times in the slot, although James Bradberry has gotten a lot of work there the last couple weeks after moving from outside corner. Brown missed the Washington game with a hamstring and is out for Sunday.
How much Roby is able to play after just arriving here remains to be seen, but head coach Nick Sirianni spoke positively about the 31-year-old on Friday.
“We feel like he’s done a nice job getting to know his teammates, getting to know the defense and we feel good where he is right now, and getting himself (ready),” Sirianni said. “I know he’s been working out (at home), but it’s still different when you’re out there playing football with pads on, with the spikes, everything.
“But we feel really good about where he is and we’re really happy with him and what he’s looked like this week.”
Roby has played in 126 games, starting 60, in nine NFL seasons with the Broncos, Texans and Saints. He has 11 interceptions, 5.0 sacks, eight forced fumbles and 16 tackles for loss.
“I was really just waiting for what I feel like was the right situation,” Roby said Wednesday. “I really wanted to win a championship. I got one in my career (with the Broncos in 2015) and I’ve been thirsty to get back. I really only was considering the teams that I felt could make it to the Super Bowl.”
The Eagles, 4-0, face the 2-2 Rams at 4:05 p.m. EST Sunday at SoFi Stadium in Inglewood, Calif.
Roby will be the 14th different defensive back to get on the field for the Eagles since opening day. That’s already the 6th-most in franchise history.
The Eagles also elevated punter Braden Mann for the third straight week. Mann, who has averaged just 41.8 yards per punt with a 38.3 average, can’t be elevated again, so the Eagles will have to decide after this game whether to sign him to the active roster or find another punter they can make a game-day call up three times.
That exercise could become more complicated as injuries pile up and the Eagles need to elevate two position players.
The Eagles also announced that punt returner Britain Covey has been cleared through concussion protocol after getting hurt in the Washington game last weekend. He no longer carries an injury designation and is expected to play against the Rams. Covey was listed as questionable on Friday.
Meanwhile, the Eagles formally placed right guard Cam Jurgens on Injured Reserve. Jurgens suffered a foot sprain Sunday in the Washington game and has been seen this week in the locker room with a boot on his right foot.
Jurgens has to miss at least four games, which means the earliest he can return to action is Nov. 5 in the Eagles’ Week 9 game against the Cowboys at the Linc.
Fifth-year veteran Sua Opeta, a one-time undrafted free agent out of Weber State in Ogden, Utah, is expected to start in Jurgens’ place.
Jurgens was also the backup center, and there was some thought the Eagles would make guard-center Julian Good-Jones a game-day call-up to back up Jason Kelce, but now it looks like left guard Landon Dickerson would be the back-up center, and if the Eagles had to move Dickerson then Jack Driscoll would probably take over at right guard and Opeta would move to left guard.
The Eagles also added running back Rashaad Penny to the injury report with an illness and listed him as doubtful for Sunday. Penny wasn’t expected to play anyway. He’s only played in the Vikings game when Boston Scott was out and had just three carries for nine yards.
The Eagles already listed defensive tackles Fletcher Cox (back) and Marlon Tuipulotu (triceps) as out for Sunday.
Linebacker Nicholas Morrow, who missed practice Friday for personal reasons, is expected to play, as are safety Justin Evans who suffered a neck injury in the Tampa game and missed Washington, and Quez Watkins, who’s missed the last two games with a hamstring injury. Neither carry a injury designation.
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