Will Shipley entered Sunday’s game in London as an unexpected starter for the Philadelphia Eagles against the Jacksonville Jaguars, but his afternoon took a sharp turn after an early score.
With Saquon Barkley sidelined by a hamstring injury and Tank Bigsby on injured reserve, the former Clemson back, who began the season third on the depth chart, was handed the lead role in the backfield.
He delivered quickly, punching in a two-yard touchdown that tied the contest at 7-7 and gave the Eagles their first points of the day at Tottenham Hotspur Stadium.
The momentum shifted in the second quarter when Shipley absorbed a hit on a carry and headed to the blue medical tent.
Trainers soon escorted him toward the locker room, and the NFL Network broadcast confirmed he was listed as questionable to return.
The absence immediately complicated an already depleted Philadelphia offense that was also missing wide receiver DeVonta Smith.
What had been a thin rotation became even thinner, leaving the Eagles with only the backs elevated from the practice squad earlier in the week.
Dameon Pierce, the former Houston Texans runner who once eclipsed 1,000 rushing yards as a rookie, had already seen action before Shipley exited. Pierce still possesses the vision and burst that made him productive early in his career, though recent seasons have shown a decline in consistency and explosiveness.
Carson Steele, signed to the active roster for this contest after time with the Kansas City Chiefs, offers a more physical style. Steele can churn out tough yards between the tackles, yet he has not consistently displayed the lateral agility or receiving ability required to shoulder a full NFL workload for extended stretches.
At the moment Shipley left the field, the Eagles held a 14-7 lead. For the Jaguars, the development presented a clearer path to pressure an offense already operating without several of its preferred skill players.
Pierce has shown flashes of effectiveness on his early carries, but neither he nor Steele profiles as a like-for-like replacement for the combination of Barkley and Bigsby.
Jacksonville’s defense, which has limited opposing rushing attacks this season, now faces a backfield whose production is harder to project and whose depth offers little margin for further setbacks. The outcome of Shipley’s evaluation will shape the remainder of the afternoon.
If he cannot return, Philadelphia must rely on a pair of practice-squad call-ups to sustain drives and protect leads against a Jaguars team that entered the week at 3-1.
A loss under those circumstances would sting for Jacksonville, while a win would underscore how injuries have reshaped the Eagles’ options on short notice.
For now, the depth chart behind Shipley remains the central variable in a game that has already seen the starting running back’s status change dramatically.
