Eagles place Nolan Smith on injured reserve, but are hopeful for a mid-season return

The Eagles placed Nolan Smith on injured reserve Wednesday, but are hopeful the young edge rusher will be able to return after the team’s Week 9 bye.

Smith reportedly strained a triceps injury he originally suffered in Super Bowl LIX and has been wearing a brace on his left arm as a result this season. The 2023 first-round pick has played 75.9% of the Eagles’ defensive snaps this season, which leads the team’s edge rushers by a considerable margin and has logged 10 total tackles and one quarterback hit so far this season.

Smith finished last season strong before tearing his triceps in the team’s 40-22 win over the Chiefs in the Super Bowl. He had 4.5 sacks in four postseason games, including a two-sack game against the Green Bay Packers in the wildcard round. After losing both Josh Sweat in free agency and Brandon Graham to retirement, the team rebuilt its edge-rusher rotation with Smith and Hunt at the top, but will now need to reconfigure things for the next several weeks.

The Eagles will likely lean on recently signed veteran Za’Darius Smith more heavily along with second-year edge Jalyx Hunt as a result of Nolan Smith’s absence. Za’Darius Smith joined the Eagles after Week 1 and has been on the field for 35% of the Eagles’ defensive snaps in the last two games, logging a half sack and four total tackles in those games. Even after getting traded from the Cleveland Browns to the Detroit Lions last season, the 35-year-old played a much bigger role with each team last year with 16 starts and 618 total snaps played.

To fill in the back end of the edge-rusher rotation, the Eagles will have their pick of depth options on the active roster. Azeez Ojulari, Ogbo Okoronkwo, and Patrick Johnson were all on the inactives list against the Los Angeles Rams last Sunday as Eagles defensive coordinator Vic Fangio elected to dress just four edge rushers for the game. Johnson, who has noted value on special teams, was active for each of the Eagles’ first two games, but Ojulari and Okoronkwo may offer more as pass rushers.

The Eagles also placed cornerback Jakorian Bennett and wide receiver Darius Cooper on injured reserve Wednesday. Cooper suffered a shoulder injury against the Rams. Like Smith, the indication is the injuries should not hold them out late into the season and could see them return as early as Week 10 against the Green Bay Packers.

With the three roster spots opened up by the moves, the Eagles signed safety Marcus Epps, tight end/fullback Cam Latu, and defensive back Parry Nickerson to the active roster. The team also signed cornerback Eli Ricks, wide receiver Quez Watkins, and linebacker Lance Dixon to the practice squad.