The Philadelphia Eagles ran into trouble after Saquon Barkley left Week 4 against the Los Angeles Rams early with a non-contact hamstring injury. The problems didn’t stop there, as they are now without backup Tank Bigsby as well. Reaching the midway point of the 2026 NFL season, it’s clear the Eagles will have to make some moves to bolster the weakened position.
“Tank Bigsby suffered an injury on Sunday and now requires core muscle surgery to repair it, sources say. Bigsby is headed to Injured Reserve, with hopes he’s back in six weeks or shorter,” Ian Rapoport of NFL Network reported. “The severity of Barkley’s injury will be determined by tests Monday. Doesn’t seem to be overly serious, but we will see how long he’s going to be out and when he’s able to return.”
With Barkley surrounded by question marks over his health and Bigsby confirmed to be out for some time, the Eagles have just one active running back on their current depth chart. The last man standing is Will Shipley, who could be in line for an increased role in Nick Sirianni and Sean Mannion’s offense.
- Saquon Barkley (hamstring)
- Tank Bigsby (Injured Reserve)
- Will Shipley
Left to right: Saquon Barkley, Tank Bigsby, and Will Shipley.
Eagles in RB trouble
Of course, as long as Barkley is good to go, he will take up most of the snaps and carries, but that is no certainty, as the former AP NFL Offensive Player of the Year (OPOTY) has now been forced to exit two of the first four games of the season.
Even if Barkley has managed to dodge a serious, long-term injury to his right hamstring, the wiser choice might be to sit and rest him before risking further injury. However, that is much easier said than done for a team in Philadelphia’s position.
Eagles’ upcoming schedule
The Eagles are staring at a tough five-game stretch before their bye in Week 10, and at 2-2 and second in the NFC East, being without Barkley for even one of these games could come back to bite them. It’s also unclear if Barkley would be okay with being sidelined when he feels healthy enough to play. Regardless, that may not be his call to make.
- Week 5: vs Jacksonville Jaguars (NFL International Game in London)
- Week 6: vs Carolina Panthers
- Week 7: vs Dallas Cowboys (MNF)
- Week 8: at Washington Commanders (SNF)
- Week 9: vs New York Giants
Roster moves soon to come
In the meantime, practice-squad call ups are to be expected. As things stand, the Eagles have three tailbacks in the P-squad: Dameon Pierce, Carson Steele, and Jaydon Blue.
As for Bigsby, he is now set to miss Week 5, when Philly will play his former team, the Jacksonville Jaguars, who traded him to the Eagles last season. Whether Barkley is also out for next Sunday’s game in London remains to be seen, but it’s safe to assume Howie Roseman is already looking into the market to bolster the injury-riddled backfield and take some pressure off Jalen Hurts’ back.
Key takeaways
- Saquon Barkley left Week 4 early with a non-contact hamstring injury.
- Tank Bigsby requires core muscle surgery and is headed to Injured Reserve.
- Backup running back Will Shipley is the lone healthy RB on the active roster.
