Watch CBS News

Mike Vick, LeSean McCoy out again for Eagles vs Cowboys

By Kevin McGuire

Mike Vick and LeSean McCoy will be out once again for the sinking Philadelphia Eagles. With Vick and McCoy still recovering from concussions, the Eagles will once again be forced to go with a youth movement with Nick Foles under center handing off to Bryce Brown.

156051538.jpg
(Credit, Elsa/Getty Images)

Foles was already preparing to make his next start by continuing to take first-team snaps in practice. Speculation the Eagles were holding Vick out of the offense longer than needed in order to get more opportunities to examine Foles was refuted by the team Friday.

“I'll address that but there's nothing to that,” Eagles head coach Andy Reid said to the media. “I've talked with Michael and Michael is good. I don't know where things get started but Michael is fine with it. He understands that everything is in the best interest of him right now and making sure that he's ready to go. Let Rick talk to you about the symptoms."

Eagles trainer Rick Burkholder says Vick has reached a plateau in his concussion rehab in defending the team’s approach to handling Vick.

“That's not true,” Burkholder said when addressing the story suggesting the Eagles were not letting Vick play. “Michael has hit a plateau in his rehab and I explained to you guys before: in those different phases of rehab, when you get into a phase and you do certain activity, sometimes they get symptoms. We're in phase four right now. Michael got symptoms in phase four.”

Burkholder continued to say the procedures for handling concussions is also mandated by the league and not exactly up to the team in some respects.

"There's no conspiracy here,” Burkholder said. “We don't grade the ImPACT test, which he has not gotten back to baseline (on). I send that paper from the computer off to the people in Pittsburgh. They come back and say he has not passed baseline. That's an NFL rule.”

The Eagles will also be without wide receiver DeSean Jackson, who was placed on injured reserve earlier this week with rib fractures. With Jackson out for the remainder of the season Andy Reid announced the team promoted former Iowa Hawkeye receiver Marvin McNutt to the 53-man roster to fill the roster spot on offense. Wide receivers Jason Avant (hamstring) and Riley Cooper (knee) are listed as probable but both took part in full practices all week in preparing for the Dallas Cowboys on the road. McNutt is waiting to find out if he will be active in Sunday’s game.

“I don't know all the details yet,” McNutt said. “I just know that, right now, I'm up."

The Eagles offensive line will once again see some shuffling this week with Dallas Reynolds listed as questionable after sitting out of practices all week. With Reynolds not likely to play in Dallas this weekend the Eagles may move Evan Mathis to the middle and have handle the snapping duties. Reynolds has an ankle injury slowing him down. Tackle King Dunlap (knee) and guard Danny Watkins (ankle) are each listed as probable this week to help the shuffling take place.

Probable:

  • Jason Avant, Wide Receiver (hamstring)
  • Riley Cooper, Wide Receiver (knee)
  • Jon Dorenbos, Long Snapper (ankle)
  • King Dunlap, Tackle (knee)
  • Stanley Havili, Fullback (ankle)
  • Danny Watkins, Guard (ankle) 

Questionable:

  • Fletcher Cox, Defensive Tackle (tailbone)
  • Dallas Reynolds, Center (ankle)

Out:

  • LeSean McCoy, Running Back (concussion)
  • Chris Polk, Running Back (toe)
  • Michael Vick, Quarterback (concussion)

For more Local Football Bloggers and the latest Eagles news, see CBS Sports Philadelphia.

Kevin McGuire covers college football for Examiner.com and is a member of the Football Writers Association of America and National Football Foundation. Follow him on Twitter (@KevinOnCFB). His work can be found on Examiner.com.

Kevin McGuire covers college football for Examiner.com and is a member of the Football Writers Association of America and National Football Foundation. Follow him on Twitter (@KevinOnCFB). His work can be found on Examiner.com.

View CBS News In
CBS News App Open
Chrome Safari Continue
Be the first to know
Get browser notifications for breaking news, live events, and exclusive reporting.