The Philadelphia Eagles are sitting at 3-0 and leading the NFC East, after their comeback performance (19-point deficit) against the Los Angeles Rams. Jordan Davis, Jalen Hurts, and Saquon Barkley carried the team on the field after injuries tested them. But what next for them? The team has recently announced on X about their three roster moves to fill injury-related gaps ahead of Week 3.

“We’ve signed S Marcus Epps, TE Cam Latu, and CB Parry Nickerson to the active roster,” according to the X post by the Eagles. “And placed CB Jakorian Bennett, WR Darius Cooper, and OLB Nolan Smith on Injured Reserve. We’ve also signed LB Lance Dixon, DB Eli Ricks, and WR Quez Watkins to the practice squad.” 

Safety Marcus Epps returned from the practice squad to the active roster. Epps, released by the Patriots on cutdown day, joined the Philadelphia Eagles’ roster after three game-day elevations. He missed the Raiders’ final 14 games in 2024 after tearing his ACL in late September of the previous campaign. Before agreeing to a one-year contract with the Patriots in March, he recorded 85 tackles, three pass breakups, and a forced fumble in 20 games with the Raiders. Epps, an Eagle from 2019–2022, started the team’s 38–35 loss to the Chiefs in Super Bowl LVII. Besides him, the next man up is Latu.

TE Cameron Latu adds flexibility with limited snaps and strong blocking for the Eagles. Latu played six snaps in his Week 2 debut vs. the Chiefs. While Ben VanSumeren is on injured reserve, the team has relied on Latu as the fullback. Latu, a 2023 third-round pick, spent his rookie season on Injured Reserve due to a knee ailment. For most of 2024, Latu was a part of the Cleveland Browns‘ practice squad. During the Philadelphia Eagles’ January Super Bowl run, he inked a reserve/future contract.

The third move brought in cornerback Parry Nickerson, a veteran with 33 career tackles and one pass breakup in 29 NFL games for four different teams. He played his final 5 regular-season games in 2023 with the Dolphins while being coached by Vic Fangio. Nickerson adds depth to a secondary that has been hit by injuries to Jakorian Bennett and other defensive backs. All in all, Epps, Latu, and Nickerson give the team immediate support and depth at safety, tight end, and cornerback after three big losses.

Eagles roster shake-up leads to 3 key players, including Nolan Smith, to IR

The Philadelphia Eagles placed CB Jakorian Bennett, WR Darius Cooper, and OLB Nolan Smith on injured reserve to make room on the roster. The three players will at least miss the next four or five games against the Giants in week 6 and 8, the Vikings (Week 7), the Broncos (Week 5), and the Buccaneers (Week 4).

Smith suffered a recurring arm injury that he amplified in the same triceps where he had surgery during the offseason. In 2025, he had yet to sack a quarterback, but he recorded 10 tackles and a forced fumble in three games. Smith became a vital edge defender in the Philadelphia Eagles’ pass rush in 2024, recording 6.5 sacks.

Jakorian Bennett, acquired from the Las Vegas Raiders earlier this offseason, during training camp, recorded six tackles in three games before his injury. The team has not disclosed his injury yet. On the other hand, during the second half of Sunday’s game, on September 21, rookie Darius Cooper was sidelined due to a shoulder injury. Additionally, as of the 2025 season, he has not recorded a reception.

So, overall, all three are likely to miss a minimum of four games in accordance with NFL regulations. Smith is anticipated to be sidelined until Week 9, which is the bye week, according to ESPN’s Adam Schefter. The Eagles’ defense and receiving corps are severely impacted by this wave of departures at a crucial moment, which forces depth players and younger options to take on more responsibility.