Team news: Philadelphia Eagles | Page 54

Eagles WR Alshon Jeffery is expected to miss at least the first two games of the season.

Related players: Dallas Goedert, Zach Ertz, Mike Wallace, Nelson Agholor, Mack Hollins, Kamar Aiken, Shelton Gibson

Per Schefter, the Eagles will activate Jeffery to the 53-man roster this weekend with optimism he could be back by Week 3. It's a bit of good news considering there were reports he would remain on the PUP list and miss the first six games. Agholor and Wallace should see a lot of targets at WR. But the Birds could go to two TE sets with Ertz and their top pick Geodert. RBs Darren Sproles and Corey Clement could also be involved in the passing game. Depending on who makes the cut, Hollins, Gibson or Aiken could see WR3 snaps with Jeffery out.

Saquon Barkley is back. Blew past LB Ray-Ray Armstrong on a wheel route in 7-on-7.

The Giants are likely taking it very easy with their top pick, but he seems like he'll be a go for Week 1.

Due to the timing of his shoulder surgery following Super Bowl LII, Alshon Jeffery is no lock to be ready for the NFL Kickoff Game versus the Falcons on Sept. 6, NFL Network Insider Ian Rapoport reported, via a source informed of the situation.

In fact, there's a chance that Jeffery will remain on the physically unable to perform list to start the season, Rapoport added. In which case, the seventh-year veteran would miss at least the first six weeks of 2018.

Related players: Mike Wallace, Nelson Agholor, Zach Ertz, Dallas Goedert

As the story nicely pointed out, should Jeffery miss the start of the season, the Eagles' wide-receiver depth will be tested beyond deep threat Wallace and slot weapon Agholor. QB Carson Wentz would likely lean heavily on his tight-end tandem of Zach Ertz and promising second-round rookie Dallas Goedert. Jeffery played through a shoulder injury all of last season after suffering it in camp in 2017.

Giants running back Saquon Barkley showed off his knack for making big plays in Monday’s practice, but the team got a scare in the process.

Barkley reeled in a long Kyle Lauletta pass down the sideline with his fingertips before going to get checked out by members of the team’s medical staff. Barkley had a wrap and ice pack put on his left leg for a short time, but it was off by the time he and the rest of the team walked off the field.

Giants head coach Pat Shurmur said he didn’t see what happened to Barkley, but that he thinks all is well, according to the story.

Dallas Goedert walked along the sideline, heading for the locker room with an Eagles trainer alongside him on Saturday. On his way into the tunnel, he offered up a high five to a nearby fan, smiled and seemed to be in good spirits.

All good, right?

By sundown, Eagles fans on Twitter had taken to speculation — created in the social media verse — that the injury was far more severe than it seemed, that Goedert might've broken his arm.

(Spoiler alert: He didn't.)

Goedert joked he had the inside scoop and said people can think what they want about his injury. The story went on to say he'll be back in a day or two and it's just a minor bump on his elbow.

When the Eagles went into full-team drills in the red zone, Zach Ertz took over. He first caught a beautifully floated ball from Nick Foles with his left hand as he dove toward the ground. Malcolm Jenkins was so frustrated, he picked up the pylon and tossed it. (There probably would have been a sack on the play in a real game.)

Then, Ertz caught a ball in heavy traffic. No idea how it wasn’t picked or how Ertz kept his focus through the bodies. Then, with the twos, he caught another slant for a touchdown. Somehow, with his arms tied up, Ertz was able to use his fingertips to hold onto this one.

Three touchdowns in one red zone period. Ertz is a Pro Bowler and still getting better.

Related players: Dallas Goedert

The Eagles look to be in a great spot with their TE situation as the rookie Goedert had a real nice preseason debut with a 4-66-1 line against the Steelers Thursday night. But based on this news post, you can't forget Ertz is a looking like a top fantasy TE this year.

The Bengals also saw some sparks from Josh Malone, who had three catches for 41 yards, and Auden Tate, a 6-foot-5, 253-pound seventh-round draft pick whose big frame has impressed in camp.

Tate's night included a leaping grab that was negated by an offensive pass-interference penalty. But it was his contested reception for a 33-yard touchdown, caught right above the arms of the defender, that got his teammates talking.

Related players: John Ross, A.J. Green

Ross also did some nice things, the story said. The piece was mainly about how Green is a much happy guy in camp than he was last year when the Bengals offense was one of the worst in the league. The team seems very high and confident in these young WRs that they released Brandon LaFell early in camp.

Eagles TE Zach Ertz missed practice today, the third straight day he’s missed.

Related players: Richard Rodgers, Dallas Goedert

On Friday, Doug Pederson said Ertz was given a veterans day off, but that doesn’t seem like the case now. Ertz has been seen with a compression sleeve on his left leg. Rodgers (shoulder) is also out and Goedert has been getting a lot of reps.

Giants rookie running back Saquon Barkley didn't take a single rep on Saturday after individual warmups, and has had his workload decreased significantly over the past several practices, ahead of Thursday night's NFL preseason opener against the Cleveland Browns.

Prior to Monday's practice, Shurmur put to bed any concern that Barkley had suffered an injury that led to a reduction in practice snaps.

"We're managing workloads," Shurmur said. "We take a good look at what they're doing. He's fine, if that's what you're asking, he's physically fine."

Related players: Wayne Gallman, Jonathan Stewart

The story said Saturday's rest was the third day in a row Barkley didn't take a majority of the first-team snaps. HC Pat Shurmur said the team does a lot of behind-the-scenes work and Barkley has looked great and doesn't look like a rookie. Gallman and Stewart took a lot of the first-team reps with Barkley out. Despite the signing of Stewart, Gallman is the favorite to be the backup to Barkley, according to a story we posted a few weeks ago.

John Ross is getting more first-team reps in 2-WR formations. It seems like Ross will get every opportunity to be the outside WR on the opposite side of A.J. Green.

This comes days after the Bengals released Brandon LaFell. Ross was a first-round pick out of Washington last season, who broke the NFL Combine 40-yard-dash official record. His blazing speed potentially makes him worth a flier at the end of redraft leagues and certainly in best-ball.