The Philadelphia Eagles placed Jalen Hurts on injured reserve on Saturday afternoon after consulting with doctors and other medical experts for much of the day. The move means Hurts will be sidelined indefinitely while the team works through a superficial blood clot in his calf.
That is why the search is spiking now: Philadelphia had been holding off on a roster move until it had gathered enough medical input to feel comfortable about the next step. The Eagles believe the clot is treatable, but they still chose the most serious roster designation available, which tells the story of how careful they are being.
Hurts is expected to miss four games before Week 10, including matchups with the Carolina Panthers, Dallas Cowboys, Washington Commanders and New York Giants. Tanner McKee will start against the Carolina Panthers on Sunday, Rookie Cole Payton has been promoted to backup, and Joe Milton has been signed off Dallas' practice squad. By NFL rules, Milton must stay on the roster for three weeks.
The medical uncertainty is what makes the move harder to pin down. In most cases, blood clots are treated with anticoagulants, but a player cannot play while taking blood thinners. Sources said the minimum time frame for a moderate dose is six weeks, and one team's doctor told that the range depends on size, location and hematology evaluation, but could be six weeks. That leaves Hurts in a waiting period measured in weeks, not days.
The Eagles had been exploring every option after Hurts first started dealing with the clot, and they waited until Saturday to make the roster decision after more consultations. They have also been fortifying the quarterback room while he receives treatment, a precaution that matters more now with the season moving toward Week 10 and the team preparing to lean on backups if needed. The question is not whether Philadelphia has a temporary answer. It is how long Hurts' medical team will need before it can say he is safe to return.
