The Philadelphia Eagles are set to sign quarterback Joe Milton from the Dallas Cowboys’ practice squad, according to multiple reports cited in the source material. Milton would join the active roster ahead of the Eagles’ home game against the Carolina Panthers. The move comes after Philadelphia ruled out starting quarterback Jalen Hurts because of a superficial blood clot in his calf.
The Eagles have not said how long Hurts is expected to be unavailable. Tanner McKee is scheduled to start in his place. The team’s decision to add another quarterback does not, by itself, establish whether Hurts will miss additional games or signal a longer-term change at quarterback.
Philadelphia said Hurts first sought treatment for his calf on Thursday, Oct. 8, after practice. He told team medical staff that he had been cleated during the Oct. 4 game against the Los Angeles Rams. The team said this was his first treatment for the injury since that game, and that he had practiced fully on Wednesday and Thursday. He received treatment and practiced fully on Friday before being added to the injury report.
According to the Eagles’ statement, doctors recommended additional imaging after the game. An ultrasound conducted Saturday, following the team’s flight to London and a walkthrough, found a superficial blood clot. The team said its medical staff and doctors in London reviewed the results and concluded that Hurts could safely play, with activity and mobility considered important. They recommended another ultrasound within 72 hours of the game and the flight back to Philadelphia.
Hurts was not listed on the injury report for the team’s prior game in London, the source material says. It also reports that he was a full participant in Friday practice before the Jacksonville Jaguars game despite a calf injury. The team has not provided a return timetable following the subsequent diagnosis.
Milton spent the previous five weeks on Dallas’ practice squad after being released from the Cowboys’ roster. Sam Howell won Dallas’ backup quarterback job during the offseason. Milton said he was surprised when Dallas moved on from him, describing the decision as shocking but part of the business of football.
NFL rules require a player signed from another team’s practice squad to be placed on the signing team’s 53-player roster. The reported signing would therefore make Milton an active-roster addition for Philadelphia’s game against Carolina. The Eagles could use him to add depth behind McKee, while rookie Cole Payton is another quarterback on the roster picture described in the report.
Payton, a fifth-round selection in this year’s draft, has appeared in one game this season and has not attempted a regular-season pass. Milton has also not started an NFL game, though he has seen limited action. The source describes him as having shown mobility and arm strength in that playing time.
The Eagles entered the matchup with Carolina seeking to end a three-game losing streak, according to the source. Hurts had thrown for 933 yards and eight touchdowns through five games this season. He started all 17 games in 2023, missed two games with a concussion in 2024, and sat out that season’s regular-season finale while Philadelphia rested starters before the playoffs. McKee also filled in for Hurts in the final week of the 2025 regular season.
