DeVonta Smith doubtful, Darius Slay ruled out ahead of Eagles-Ravens

The Eagles listed DeVonta Smith as questionable for Sunday’s game against the Baltimore Ravens, leaving the receiver’s availability up in the air.

Smith was at practice Friday but participated on a limited basis for the second straight day because of a hamstring injury that sidelined him last Sunday against the Los Angeles Rams. After practice Friday, the 26-year-old receiver said he didn’t know if he would be able to play.

“It’s really not my decision,” Smith said.

What if it was your decision?

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“I don’t know yet,” Smith said.

The Eagles also ruled out cornerback Darius Slay (concussion) and linebacker Ben VanSumeren (knee) on Friday’s injury report. Safety Sydney Brown (knee) and receiver Johnny Wilson (hamstring) are also doubtful for Sunday’s game, in addition to Smith. VanSumeren, Brown and Wilson were late additions to Friday’s injury report after practicing without designations the previous two days.

Smith has been dealing with the hamstring injury since earlier this month, but only missed last week’s game after apparently aggravating it against the Washington Commanders in Week 11.

When asked about the possibility of modifying the injury against Washington, Smith admitted that the team recommended that he give his hamstring a chance to fully heal rather than strain it further.

“Sometimes you have to stop,” Smith said. “If it were me, I probably would have moved on, but the team did what was best for me instead of letting me make the decision for myself. “They were taking care of me and said it was best for me to sit down.”

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Smith missed a game earlier this season with a concussion and was sidelined last weekend, but he has rarely missed time in his four-year career with the Eagles. Coming into this year, the only game he was sidelined in was the regular season finale of his rookie year due to an ankle injury.

Smith said this time frame is different due to the nature of hamstring injuries, which often require prolonged rest to fully recover.

“There’s a difference between playing through pain and playing through something that’s going to get worse every week,” Smith said. “You can play through pain and you can still get better, but playing through something that you’re going to constantly get worse? “That’s not a good idea.”

If Smith is unable to return to the lineup, the Eagles will once again lean on wide receiver AJ Brown and tight end Dallas Goedert to help offset Smith’s typical production. Wide receiver Jahan Dotson will likely see an increase in snaps. Dotson played 68% of the team’s snaps against the Rams, but only had one reception for four yards on one target. While running back Saquon Barkley accounted for the majority of the Eagles’ production last weekend, Brown also finished that game with six receptions for 109 yards and a touchdown.

The Eagles play Sunday afternoon in Week 13 against the Ravens in Baltimore. Join reporters Olivia Reiner and EJ Smith as the Eagles break down the hottest stories surrounding the team on Gameday Central. live from M&T Bank Stadium.