Eagles Rule Sanders, Barnett Out for Sunday

The Eagles will make the short trek down the I-95 corridor without their top running threat and the starting right defensive end

PHILADELPHIA - The Eagles will make the short trek down the I-95 corridor without their top running threat and their starting right defensive end.

The team announced Saturday that both running back Miles Sanders and defensive end Derek Barnett will not travel to Landover, MD., where the Eagles will open the regular season against the Washington Football Team on Sunday.

Sanders has been dealing with a hamstring injury since Aug. 19 and had been listed as questionable and was limited in practice all week. Behind the scenes, Philadelphia insisted that it wasn't concerned about Sanders long-term and the party line remains that the decision was made out of an abundance of caution.

Barnett had also been listed as questionable with a hamstring, although he seemed father away than Sanders as a limited participant in practice but eschewing the pads.

With no Sanders, the Eagles will again turn to Boston Scott, who was a big part of the team's playoff run down the stretch last season, along with Corey Clement, and newly acquired running back Jason Huntley.

The team did not elevate a running back from the practice squad on Saturday despite having three options in Elijah Holyfield, Adrian Killins, and Michael Warren.

Without Barnett, the team will rely on the emerging Josh Sweat and veteran Vinny Curry opposite Brandon Graham.

The two PS call-ups ended up being defensive tackle T.Y. McGill, who will serve as the fourth DT with no Javon Hargrave (pec/hamstring) and offensive guard Sua Opeta, not a positive sign when it comes to right tackle Lane Johnson, who is expected to be a game-time decision after ankle surgery late last month.

If Johnson isn't able to go, the Eagles will likely kick Matt Pryor out from right guard to right tackle with Nate Herbig being inserted at RG.

The other options would be keeping Pryor inside and allowing Jordan Mailata or rookie Jack Driscoll to start at RT against the strength of the WFT, a defensive line that boasts five first-round picks, including the No. 2 overall pick back in April, Chase Young.

NFL teams can now promote two practice-squad players per week to the main roster under the new CBA. However, a player can only be promoted twice during being subject to waivers before going back on the PS.

Active game-day rosters, meanwhile, have now increased from 46 to 48 players with one of those two extra spots reserved for an offensive lineman.

John McMullen contributes Eagles coverage for SI.com's EagleMaven and is the NFL Insider for JAKIB Media. You can listen to John every Monday and Friday on SIRIUSXM, and every Monday and Thursday with Eytan Shander on SportMap Radio. You can reach him at jmcmullen44@gmail.com or on Twitter @JFMcMullen

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