Eagles fans had some good news ahead of their Week 4 game against the Tampa Bay Buccaneers, when standout wide receiver A.J. Brown returned to practice for the first time in weeks. Brown has missed the last two games with a hamstring issue and is listed as questionable for the game against the Bucs.
Obviously, having Brown on the field would be ideal, especially considering fellow star wide receiver DeVonta Smith has already been ruled out due to a concussion sustained against the Saints in Week 3. After those two players, Philadelphia’s wide receiving corps isn’t particularly deep.
Why sitting A.J. Brown against the Bucs makes sense for Philly
The Eagles were able to win against the Saints down the stretch without either of their top two receivers available, but that would not be an ideal scenario for a full game, so the prospect of Brown possibly being available is inherently exciting.
However, resting Brown for the game against Tampa Bay would probably be the best move for Philly.
Hamstring injuries are serious, and there is a genuine risk of further damage if the problem is not treated properly. The Eagles have a bye week in Week 5, so resting Brown against the Bucs would give him two weeks of recuperation, which should allow the hamstring to fully recover.
That is the advantage of having an early bye: more time to treat early-season injuries. However, the team will be forced to play without a break beginning in Week 6.
Err on the side of caution, missing one more game now could help assure Brown’s availability for more games later in the season.
Plus, it’s early enough in the season that the Eagles should be able to bounce back even if they lose the game against the Bucs.
Sure, 3-1 sounds a lot better than 2-2. But even at 2-2, they would be right in the thick of things in the NFC playoff picture with the majority of the season still ahead of them.
And I’d take a 2-2 Eagles team with a healthy A.J. Brown over a 3-1 team with a banged-up Brown any day of the week. This is a marathon, not a sprint after all.
It’s not like the Eagles don’t have any weapons without Brown and Smith available. Tight end Dallas Goedert is coming off of a 170-yard performance against New Orleans, and Saquon Barkley has been arguably the best player in the entire NFL so far this season.
When he’s not committing careless turnovers, quarterback Jalen Hurts is a major weapon himself. So, Philadelphia should technically have enough talent to pull out a win, even without their star pass-catching duo
Finally, if Brown feels confident enough to play against Tampa Bay, that’s OK. It’ll be nice to have him out there. However, if either the player or the team is hesitant, or if he is not quite at full strength, there is no reason not to play it cautious, prioritize the long term, and keep him on the ice until after the bye week.
