Philadelphia Eagles give update on Miles Sanders

20200517_134556by:Justin Rudolph•10/25/21

Eagles head Nick Sirianni has released an update on running back Miles Sanders. Sanders left Sunday’s loss to the Las Vegas Raiders in the first quarter with an ankle injury. The injury appeared to be substantial at the time, with the running back having to leave the field on the medical cart. Before leaving the game Sanders had six carries yards. 

On Monday Sirianni went over Sanders’s injury and the time he’s expected to miss. He also went into the team’s plan, and options going forward if he’s not available. 

“We have Jordan (Howard) on the practice squad as well and we feel really good about him,” said Sirianni. “Miles will probably be down, well we’re week two week with him actually. So It’s a stretch for him to be up this week, but we’re not ruling anything out yet.” 

On the season, Sanders is the team’s second-leading rusher, behind quarterback Jalen Hurts. He’s rushed the ball 63 times for 300 yards but is averaging just 42.9 yards per game. The Eagles as a whole have not been good running the ball this season.

Philadelphia has a backup plan

Howard is a fifth-round pick of the Chicago Bears back in the 2016 draft. he spent his first three seasons with the Bears but was traded to Philadelphia in March of 2019 for a 2020 sixth-round pick. After spending the 2019 season with the Eagles, he signed with the Dolphins for two years. But his time in Miami was short-lived as he was waived midway through the 2020 season. Since then, he signed with the Philadelphia practice squad, where he remains to this day. 

For his career, the one-time pro bowler has 932 rushed for 3955 yards and 34 rushing touchdowns. In the passing game, he has 83 receptions for 634 yards and two touchdowns out the backfield. With the Eagles, he is played in 12 games, has rushed the ball 126 times for 552 yards and six touchdowns. 

With the possibility of being without their starting running back for a couple of weeks, it is a good thing they have a former all-pro like Howard to call upon. The Philadelphia Eagles will look to rebound from Sunday’s loss against the Las Vegas Raiders this Halloween weekend against the Detroit Lions. The Eagles will undoubtedly be looking to keep the Lions winless in Miles Sanders’s absence.