There is still some time to make a final decision so things can change, but quarterback Jalen Hurts is "trending in the right direction" to return to the field for Sunday's 4:25 PM game against the Giants, said Head Coach Nick Sirianni at his Friday morning press conference at the NovaCare Complex. (UPDATE: Hurts is officially questionable after being a limited participant in Friday's practice.)
"We feel good about it," Sirianni said. "We'll see how today goes. We're still thinking through everything. If we feel like after today's practice and after he goes through his rehab and everything all those different things that he's ready to go all those things – the contact, the throwing, the hits – it's all taken into account. He's ready to play or he's not ready to play."
Hurts "has done more this week" at practice after returning to the field last week on a very limited basis. He's taken more reps and shown that he is moving in the right direction to resuming as the team's starting quarterback. Hurts suffered a sprained right shoulder in the December 18 win at Chicago and missed games at Dallas and against New Orleans last Sunday.
"If he's ready to play, we'll play him," Sirianni said, indicating that a final decision won't be made until after Friday's practice. "He's done a little bit more this week. I thought he threw the ball well last week, but you're talking about the healing that's going on. There are things that you can't see. It's things that are going on in there. It's healed one week further out from when it happened."
Sirianni also said the team is "hopeful" for the return of safety C.J. Gardner-Johnson, who has been on Injured Reserve since he suffered a lacerated spleen in the November 28 win over Green Bay. Gardner-Johnson's 21-day practice window opened on Wednesday and he has made strong progress, said Sirianni.
"He's doing a good job. We'll see how today's practice goes and how everything goes through today's practice, but he's done a nice job," the head coach added. "We're hopeful there. We'll see what happens. He's had a good week of practice as well."
