3:32 PM: The Eagles announced as they departed for Green Bay on Sunday afternoon that cornerback Jaire Alexander will not travel with the team. He is ruled out for Monday night's game due to a knee injury/coach's decision. The team is allowing Alexander to focus on his recovery and preparation for the remainder of the season.

Alexander is one of the three defensive additions acquired at the trade deadline. The veteran was secured in a trade with the Baltimore Ravens. Alexander was originally a first-round pick of the Green Bay Packers in 2018 out of Louisville.

The 28-year-old Alexander spent the first seven seasons with the Green Bay Packers, where he established himself as a standout outside cornerback, earning Pro Bowl and second-team All-Pro honors twice (2020, 2022 seasons). He signed a one-year deal with the Ravens after the Packers released him in June. Alexander played in two games this season in Baltimore, registering five tackles.

Overall, Alexander has 290 career tackles, 12 for loss, 12 interceptions, 1.5 sacks, 70 passes defensed, 3 forced fumbles, 2 fumble recoveries, and a touchdown in the regular season with another 28 tackles, three interceptions, and five passes defensed in the playoffs.

The Eagles also acquired cornerback Michael Carter II at the trade deadline. Cornerback Adoree' Jackson is good to go after missing the Week 8 win over the Giants due to a concussion. Cornerback Jakorian Bennett was a full participant in practice this week, but he needed to be activated from Injured Reserve by 4 PM on Monday. – Chris McPherson

Saturday, November 8

4:22 PM: Brandon Graham will play his first game as an Eagle this season against the Packers on Monday Night Football. After a brief retirement, Graham is back for his 16th season, which will officially kick off in Week 10.

The 37-year-old had a strong year last season before it was cut short due to a triceps injury, but he rehabbed quickly and returned for Super Bowl LIX. Now, he's looking to add some juice to the pass rush room, but he's entering the year with a clean slate.

"I'm excited, man. No expectations, just going out there, just like it's been in practice," Graham said. "It's been [me] enjoying the time. And I'm just excited to see these boys, because they put some work in this weekend. Just bringing the energy, man."

Graham joins a room that just added Jaelan Phillips and could get Nolan Smith off Injured Reserve this week, plus key players like Jalyx Hunt and Joshua Uche, who are in the mix. Graham has had solid ramp-up time before his first game, and the results in practice have been welcome, according to the pass rusher.

"I was honestly shocked myself, just on like, 'Wow, OK. I can do this for real,'" he said. "Because this is my first time coming off the couch for real and coming right into it. It's great. [I] feel fresh. [I] feel like I've been training, getting ready for Training Camp, and now I'm going through my little Training Camp phase of the three weeks I've been going in practice and stuff, even during the Bye Week. Now I'm just excited to go out there and just play one game at a time." — Matt Ryan

6:45 AM: The second half of the regular season is when, the experts say, the contenders separate themselves from the pretenders in the NFL. The playoff picture shapes up, the weather becomes a factor in the colder weeks, and the urgency increases with the dwindling opportunities to win football games.

Perfect, says linebacker Zack Baun.

"I think play with the same urgency every week – that's the message around here, but I understand how the league works," he said. "You kind of see how teams are shaping up and what kind of football they are playing down the stretch. For us, coming off the Bye Week, knowing where we are and what's ahead, we've been here. We know that teams are going to be giving us their best shots, but that's also been the case the entire season."

Where the Eagles are is 6-2, with a lone NFC loss to the Giants. Philadelphia has created distance from the remainder of the NFC East – Dallas is 3-5-1 on its Bye Week, Washington is 3-6, and the Giants are 2-7. If the season ended today ...

"The focus is on what we are doing and no other team," Baun said. "We have a long way to go in this season and we have some new players who have to learn what we're doing on defense and help us, so it's not something anyone is doing – looking around the league. The focus is on the Philadelphia Eagles."

And immediately ahead: Green Bay on Monday night. An offense with big-play ability and a running back in Josh Jacobs who can do it all.

"He's a great player as a runner and as a receiver," Baun said. "He is always getting positive yardage and the Packers do a great job of getting him the ball in good spots, so he's definitely someone to watch.

"But they also have a lot of other great players – receivers who make plays down the field, one of the best offensive lines in football, a quarterback who can make all the throws. We know what we're up against." - Dave Spadaro

Friday, November 7

5:49 PM: The Eagles are coming off their most complete game of the season against the Giants where the run game was unstoppable. Saquon Barkley had a 65-yard touchdown run on the second play from scrimmage, and it was off and running from there.

Philadelphia ran for 276 yards and averaged 8.4 per carry as Barkley (150) and Tank Bigsby (104) became the first Eagles running back duo since 2013 to rush for more than 100 yards in the same game.

"Finally we had a performance that is similar to where we know we can be and now you just build on it," Barkley said. "So every week is going to be a different challenge. But again, we know we have the men in this locker room to get the job done, whether it's running the ball, whether it's passing the ball. And we just continue to improve."

While it was a promising sight to see the Eagles' run game explode, Barkley knows it's about doing that on a consistent basis. As the Eagles return from the Bye Week, they will look to keep the ground game — and rest of the offense — hot in a cold game against the Packers.

"I think it's supposed to happen. We come in, we work, and when you put the work in, you believe it's supposed to happen. In reality, it only gives you a chance," Barkley said. "That's just how life works for some reason. But like I said, I never lost faith of it. I appreciate KP (Offensive Coordinator Kevin Patullo) and all those guys sticking with it, especially the running game. And also in this league, it's what have you done for me lately. So, that's in the past. We had a great game. Now we've got to build on it." — Matt Ryan

5:00 AM: When Jaire Alexander learned over the weekend that he was going to be traded from Baltimore to Philadelphia, his mother, Tawanda, couldn't hold back her excitement.

Alexander was born at Jefferson Hospital in Philadelphia and grew up an Eagles fan. He moved to North Carolina, but returned to visit family in Philadelphia during the summertime of his childhood. In his first interview since becoming an Eagle, Alexander rattled off the Eagles legends from the 2000s that he grew up watching: Brian Dawkins, DeSean Jackson, Michael Vick, Lito Sheppard, Brian Westbrook, and Jeremiah Trotter.

Now, he's in the same locker room where those Eagles greats once roamed.

"I'm just glad it finally came to fruition. I feel like I'm at a new school or something, you know, just meeting new people," Alexander said. "I'm just going to bring leadership. I'm going to bring some energy and bring some swag, you know, confidence, and hopefully, you know, hopefully we all can feed off one another, feed off that, and, you know, take this thing to the next level."

The Eagles brought Alexander in for a pre-draft visit before the cornerback was the 18th overall selection in the 2018 NFL Draft out of Louisville. Selected by this week's opponent, the Green Bay Packers.

"I was like, 'Wow, this is amazing. Dream come true,'" Alexander said. "t's going to be nostalgic. You know, it's going to be fun seeing the guys that I grew up with.

"The challenge is obvious. They're a good offense. They're really good on third down. Those guys are a talented group."

A two-time All-Pro, Alexander's 2024 season was cut short due to a knee injury, which caused him to miss the playoff matchup against the Eagles. He was released by Green Bay and signed with Baltimore. He appeared in two games, but was still working his way back from the injury.

Now, Alexander says, "This is the best I've felt." He's been studying with Passing Game Coordinator/Defensive Backs Coach Christian Parker, who was an assistant coach in Green Bay during Alexander's time. Alexander joked that they're best friends at this point since they've spent so much time together.

Whether Alexander will suit up to play against his former team remains to be seen. But he recognizes that he has a "real opportunity" to get back on track in Philadelphia. – Chris McPherson

Thursday, November 6

5:48 PM: The Eagles bolstered their pass rush group ahead of the Trade Deadline with the addition of Jaelan Phillips from the Dolphins in exchange for a 2026 third-round pick. Phillips is reunited with Vic Fangio, who was his defensive coordinator in Miami during the 2023 season when Phillips had 6.5 sacks in eight games.

Phillips was a first-round draft pick in 2021 and has put together some strong seasons in the NFL, but nothing has made him happier than joining the Eagles.

"I mean, I thought I was excited Day 1. Talk to me now, this is like literally the greatest thing that's happened in my whole life, probably," Phillips said on Thursday. "But it's just awesome. The guys are awesome, everybody's been super welcoming. I love the environment here, I love the vibe here.

"The City of Philly has given me a very warm welcome. I got about 20 times the amount of Instagram likes that I ever got on a post from before from the Philly fans, so shout out to y'all. It's been great so far, getting out there, practicing. I love the weather here, I love the locker room. Everything's awesome." — Matt Ryan